Twenty years later
by Well of Allsparks
Summary: It's been twenty years since the Autobots were forced the off Earth and Sam hasn't aged a day.He's cut ties with everyone he knows,to avoid the government,who he no longer trusts and has moved in with Will and his clueless family. Will the Autobots return
1. Chapter 1

I'm so sorry, but I had this story in my head and I thought it was a really good idea, as far as I'm aware, it's never been done before. I know that if I do post a new story, it should be a sequel, but I just couldn't resist this one. I fully accept reviews yelling at me to post one of my sequels instead of working on something completely different.

But still, hope you like it.

* * *

It's been twenty years since they left, and I haven't aged a day. I don't understand it, but I now it has something to do with them. Looking at it the worst possible way, they might have done something to me and left. Just like that. But I do trust them, and I don't hate them. I can't bring myself to think like that.

I didn't know what's different about me, but I've come up with a few, very few, possibilities. Jut to put my mind at ease, though I know these probably aren't the reason. What are the chances I would come up with it?

We were close, I would have even gone with them if I weren't human. They might have changed me to remember them, not that I would need it.

Maybe they plan on returning one day, and hope I'm still alive to greet them. Maybe they insured that. They knew me as well as I knew them, so they would know I would be perfectly fine with whatever it is, when I found out, as long as they _did_ come back.

There are other reasons, more likely reasons simply because they haven't entered my mind. I knew there was also my seeming immortality has nothing to do with my alien friends, but there is nothing on earth that could do this. It only happened when they left. Whatever it was, I didn't care. I didn't have enough in me to care. I dearly missed them all.

No one knows any of this. Everyone I used to know I've cut my ties. I'm no good at faking stuff, so I simply disappeared.

The government forced the Autobots off earth, they had had enough. So if they heard of their return, they wouldn't take it lightly. But they thing Earth has been cleansed of Cybertron, if they found out I had been affected directly, there's no telling what they would do. The time I trusted my own government above the aliens has long gone.

So most people either never knew about them, and I therefore can't stick around them without having to lie about why I have yet to age these past twenty years, or I don't trust the others enough to thoroughly keep me away from the government. At least, I don't trust my parents, Mikayla, and Leo to do this.

But there is one person who probably understands this necessity best, though he is just as human as the others. Will Lennox.

"Where are you kid?" I heard the ex-NEST member shout. I only visited him when his daughter and wife were out. They didn't know me, and wouldn't grasp the need to keep me hidden. My parents are very persistent, they're still badgering the police forces to be on the lookout for me at all times. There isn't a civilian for miles that doesn't know my face. They think the Decepticons had come back to earth for one last mission; kill the one responsible for all their defeats, me.

"Here" I said, loudest I ever get. I walked out of the forest surrounding his house. They still lived in a secluded house in the same forest the base had been. It was still there, only abandoned. That's where I lived. His family doesn't understand why they live so far from civilization, but I knew he didn't want to leave the house. It would fell like leaving behind their memory had it been me.

He waved me down to the lawn chair next to his, we never went inside. He offered regularly, but I refuse. I don't need to eat, so there is no need. I sat down in the chair, looking at my hands.

"It always strikes me to see how you haven't changed a bit. I keep expecting you to at least have longer hair." he said. "And it doesn't help that I still expect to see that guardian of yours about to lift you. You really need to change your hair or something, you're just the same as when that could have happened."

I slouched and avoided his eyes.

"I don't want to get a haircut. It will stay like that for eternity." I said quietly. My voice never got louder than normal talking any more. The ach I had felt the day they left hadn't lessened with time. Just like everything else about me, it won't change.

"I know. Sam, how're you doing? You didn't come last time they went out." he said.

"Of course not. I wasn't going to leave his room, it was the twelfth." I said, Will did supply me with small things like calendars and note books. He sighed.

"The twelfth." he mused. "The anniversary of their departure. The sixth of November, anniversary of Mission City. August sixteenth, Egypt. Fifth of November, the day you met them. Sam, how many dates do you have circled?"

"Not many." I answered, there weren't too many I remembered the exact date of. "How is Annabelle?" Asked, changing the subject.

"She's doing fine, hasn't moved out yet. Sometimes I wish she didn't age either, stayed at two." He smiled, trying to joke.

"You wouldn't want that." I said quietly.

"Come on Sam, lighten up. They're gone. I miss them too. I know I'm not the one getting ready to go through eternity, always remembering them. Think of it this way. Maybe mankind will eventually build some space ship and you can rent one and go find 'em." he said.

"Didn't she graduate collage recently?" I asked. he sighed.

"Yeah, got a major in astronomy. What are the odds?"

"High?" I asked. He cracked a smile, realizing it was a joke. The odds she would get into astronomy when her dad was in the army, but worked with alien robots wasn't all that big. Maybe visiting the base when she was one impacted her in some way. She defiantly wouldn't remember it, and Sarah never knew her husband worked with aliens. She just thought he worked with some top secret military defense mechanism.

"Right. I wanted to ask you something." he hedged, scratching his head. I looked up at him, inviting him to continue. "I can't stand you living in that old base anymore. Why don't you move out?"

"Everyone will recognize me here." I said. Everyone in the nearby towns here, and in Tranquility, where my Parents still live, know my face.

"Move to a new town. One you haven't marked for some relation to the Autobots." I flinched but he ignored it. I shook my head, as I said, it would feel like leaving behind their memories. The government made it although they never existed, I had to stay somewhere of importance to keep those fond memories form disappearing.

"I knew that wouldn't work." he said to himself. "Ok then. Move in with us. I can say you're some kid I knew that had been kicked out. Sarah wont object, I don't see Annie either."

"But, wont they know my face?"He obviously hadn't thought of that.

"Well, they'll need to find out eventually, when they realize you aren't aging."

"No, Will. What if they accidentally leak?"

"Trust me. I trusted you when all I got were coordinates and directions to take Optimus there." I flinched, my heart gave a painful stab, he continued to ignore me. "And when all I knew was the bad guys were after something Sector Seven had, and your car, that was confiscated, could get it out of there. Sam, see where I'm going with this?"

"But then people's lives depended on it." I muttered.

"Exactly, and there was a fifty-fifty chance none of it would work. And this is your life here. You may not die if you don't stay with us, but what kind of life is it if you stay cooped up in that old base with no social interaction?"

I stayed silent, he took that as an Ok.

"Alright, they should be coming home soon," I didn't object. "We'll just work it out as we go." just as he finished, the Black GMC Topkick Will bought, so he didn't have to explain the disappearance of the truck he had before, pulled into the drive. Ironhide, flinch, had always brought him home to his family and stayed with him. Will was one of the few humans the Decepticons recognized out of a crowd, apart from Mikayla and I.

As an automatic reaction, I stood up quickly to dash out. Will caught the back of my tattered shirt.

"You're staying." He ordered and I stopped struggling. He let go as the doors shut and Annabelle raced inside, she had just come back from work and probably had something to get finished. Sarah was locking up and spotted us.

"Will, who's your friend?" She asked, approaching us. She stared at my face, probably trying to find where she's seen it before.

I looked down, tracing the pattern on my wrist, the Autobot symbol. She gasped, recognizing me.

"Will, where did you find the Witwicky boy?" and I groaned, this wasn't going to be the easiest thing to do. But this moment will change my life, hopefully it won't banish the Autobots from my mind, they haven't left it since they left. I wanted to keep it that way.

* * *

Again, sorry. I know I should be working on my other stories, but you know what happens if the plot bunny gets a chain saw. They become rabid and ruthless in terrorizing my mind.

R&R


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, this is obviously the second chapter. Not much to say, but I hope you like it.

* * *

"Sarah, have a seat." Will motioned to the lawn chair next to the one he was sitting in. As he sat, he forced me down into the one I had previously sat in. "I've been speaking to Sam since he left his house."

"Why haven't you turned him in? everyone know his parents are worried sick."

"Well, Sarah, look at him. do you realize how long he's been gone? How old would he have had to have been when he ran away at this age? Before he graduated second grade?" He gestured at me and I looked away.

"He does look to young." she noted.

"Yeah, I'm going to have him stay with us, so you can't tell anyone any of this. Don't even let them know he's at our house." Will urged. "Sam her, he's different. He seems human, but I don't really know anymore." I turned to look at him, he was grinning. He only wanted me to participate in the conversation. He was much too calm to be getting ready to spill everything to his wife.

"What do you mean?" she started to get frightened.

"I don't age. Ever since they left." I explained, hoping it would satisfy Will.

Her eyes widened.

"I wasn't going to go that far, not yet at least. I didn't think you wanted to talk about them, or listen to me talk about them." Will said. I looked down.

"Who are you talking about? Are you pranking me?" she asked.

"No, _they _are the Autobots." I said. I decided if I was going to listen about them, I might as well do the talking. "Autobots, alien robots that can transform into cars. They saved the earth multiple times."

"How am I supposed to believe this?" she demanded.

"Sarah," I paused, trying to think of a way. "Let me first explain I was the closest human to them. I was always with them. I was, and still would be, more comfortable with them, being held by them, on their shoulder, just with them, than with other humans."

"I still don't understand. You look so serious I almost believe you. But this, it just can't be possible!" she objected. I looked up from my hands and stared at her, showing how upsetting this topic was for me.

"Here," I took out my wallet, which at this point only had one thing. My picture book. it was a big one, only the first few pages were of humans.

"This one, his name is Ironhide." I folded it back and handed it to her. I memorized the order and each picture, so I can comment without looking. I just need to know when she flips it.

"This is Will's truck though." she objected. I shook my head.

"No, he bought that truck because he was good friends with Ironhide. The government hadn't let me carry around photos of them when they were here. National security. So I keep pictures of their alt forms." she looked at the next one. "That's Ratchet. He's the medic."

She flipped again.

"Skids and Mudflap. The twins. The green one is Skids, the red is Mudflap. On the right is Sideswipe. He has a twin also, but he decided not to come to earth. Sunstreaker wanted to track Decepticon activity off earth, which wasn't much."

"Decepticons are the bad guys." Will put in. She flipped again.

"That's Sideswipe and his brother. I took that one the day they left. Sunstreaker was on the Ark when they came to pick the others up. The next is Arcee and Chromia. They were close friends, both the same type of motorcycle." she stared at that picture for a moment and I remembered Will bought his daughter a pink Buell Firebolt when she expressed and interest in motorcycles.

"Yeah, well, I never really got over them either." He scratched his head and she gave him a look before flipping the page.

"That's me with the two," by the two I meant the last two I listed off. "Mikayla and I often took time to go with Arcee and uh, Chromia, for a joy ride." My heart sped up. Not at the lie, but at the truth I almost said. Will gave me a apologetic look and I shook it off.

"The other is Jazz. He died in the first battle, so I didn't get to know him very well, but B- Jolt," I said the first other name that came to my mind. I hadn't said his name, out loud or in my head, in years. "Helped me find a picture of him before they left. The next is Jolt. I didn't hang out with him much, but I still considered him a good friend." I went on before she flipped the page, which she quickly did when I continued. I didn't want her to ask about my obvious slip up.

"The last here is Wheelie. He changed sides, worshiping Mikayla."

"His old girlfriend." Will explained.

"But there's a bunch more photos." she objected, flipping the page. I frowned.

"The next four or so is a mix of me, the Autobot leader, and other Autobots." I said. I could call Optimus by other names, for I had been second closest to him.

"Who?" she asked.

"Optimus Prime." Will answered. She flipped through the rest and started to get confused. She closed it and looked at the last, then the first. "Who is this? You have allot of photos of you and this one."

I looked away, pulling my legs up under me. My guardian, I did miss him most. At times, I compared it to how Skids might feel if Mudflap either died or left with no way of ever coming back. Or Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. I guess the closest one would be Arcee and Chromia because they weren't actually sisters. They are just close friends, and they barely left each other's side.

I felt tears start to swell in my eyes. It wasn't just thinking about him, but all the Autobots so much. I had been close to them all, and it's bee twenty years. Twenty years, and I would live forever with this pain. No, it wasn't healing with time, I wanted it to do that. But it only got worse with each passing day. Sometimes I just stop whatever I'm doing and realize how long it's been since I seen them. Sometimes I know I'm going to go the rest of forever without seeing them, my friends-almost-family again.

But I try to hold onto the one theory. They will return. They have to.

"Did I say something?" she asked, noticing my new mood.

"No. That's Bumblebee. Sam's guardian and best friend. They were as inseparable as Skids and Mudflap. I'm not even joking when I say that boy slept above his spark, their life source, allot like our hearts. When the two visited the base, since Sam either lived with his parents or in collage, he never touched the ground. He misses that Autobot allot. I wouldn't bring him up much." Will whispered this, hoping it would make it easier. It didn't.

"Alright. But for all I know, these are just cars and this kid is a paid actor." she waved the pictures around and I sat up quickly, reaching for them. She handed them to me and I held them close, as my guardian had me before they left, or when he finally got to me after I died and came back.

"Sarah, I worked with them against the Decepticons when Annabelle was a toddler. There are no photos, videos, or anything else. But we can take you to the old base. That's why I took us to live out here. It isn't far away, it used to be maximum security. Sam and Mikayla were the only civilians allowed in. Sam was only allowed in because it was the will of their leader, Optimus. Mikayla was only allowed in because she was with Sam, so Optimus let her in to. If she had broken up with Sam, she wouldn't be allowed in. She wasn't told this though, because that could easily become the only reason she stayed with him."

"So there's a base near here, hu?" we nodded. "Then let me see it. I refuse to believe any of this until I have proof." she demanded. Will sighed and stood up.

"Come on." he helped her up as I stood. Will poked his head inside as we passed the front door, "We'll be back soon!" he shouted. I heard a muffled 'bye!' as he shut the door. He nodded and walked toward the truck. I stopped.

"What?" Sarah asked, holding the front door open.

"Oh, sorry Sam. But it's either Ironhide or you can take Arcee. The other car's at the shop." I frowned and gathered my courage before climbing in the back.

I looked around, Will left it undecorated. Like Ironhide's interior. I actually smiled. It was as if they were back.

"You got the feeling? Like a voice is going to come from around you, complaining about the difficulty in off lining armature Decepticons?" Will asked, turning it on.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"I get it every time. That's why I get it. But the feeling leaves when you gotta open the door yourself, or turn it on manually." he sighed. I frowned again, I knew it wasn't him. Just a copy. I shouldn't let even my imagination go this way. It wasn't right.

And we were off. I'd gone to this very same base before, in this very same car model. The only difference, the bas was in ruins, and the truck was just a truck. The good days are over.

* * *

Sorry if I made Sam a bit winy, but that's how he'll be a little. But not too much, I think. How would you feel it your family, ones you loved more than anything, left twenty years ago and you won't age, so you're going to go forever without them? Or there's something strange going on that makes it physically imposable to forget about them or at least for the pain to ebb? It's true, there literary is something not letting him move on physically. He really does miss them more everyday and it's not just him being overdramatic. I tried to get that over, but I don't think I did the best job on that.

Anyway, hope you liked it. R&R


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, I'm going back on some stuff I've said. I'm still going to try and keep up with my other stories, but right now, this one is capturing my most interest. Just know that you can make any story of mine you want be my favorite, just review. I got three reviews for this one recently so I became eager to update. You all know how it works, if you have a profile. Oh, I don't know if you knew this, because a lot of people don't allow this, but I let people without a profile or people not logged on to review my stuff.

Hope you like it.

* * *

I leaned against the wall as I watched Sarah spin around, taking in her surroundings. We had just arrived at the old base, the building I called home until Will said I was to stay with them.

"So this is for real?" she asked. Will stood next to me and nodded. "I want to look around. Where did you work?" she asked.

"I haven't been here so long, I don't remember my way around. Sam's our tour guide." he said turning to me. I actually smiled a bit, standing away from the wall.

"How do you remember your way around?" she accused, "If Will doesn't?"

"I would never forget. Will only worked here. I lived here. That and this is where I've lived since I had to leave my family."

"Oh, I'm sorry." she said. I smiled a bit more.

"Oh, it's alright. As I said. I called it home, I didn't just live here. This is as close to where I belong here on Earth." she noticed m slight smile and nodded, seeming to enjoy me happy instead of close to a nervous breakdown. I didn't feel guilty being happy here. I had real memories here. And the truck was just a replacement. Fake.

I started forward, we were in the entrance room. I headed toward the human-sized door to the left.

"This is the NEST entrance room." I motioned around after we went through.

"NEST was the group of humans that worked with the Autobots, like me. Non-biological Extraterrestrial Support Team." he said. I was the tour guide, he was the translator. I went throughout the human side of the base, finishing with the mess hall.

"This is where we ate. Just for something extra, Will, Epps, the rest of his team, and I sat here." I walked to set my hand on the table closest the door. I sighed, missing those times, then turned to the exit. They followed me and I lead them to a single bed room.

"Is this where you slept?" She asked.

"No, Mikayla slept here. It was originally my room, but if you remember, Will told you I moved in with my guardian." I walked up to a door easily mistaken as a closet, but the closet was on another wall. I opened it up and walked through, careful of the ledge.

"This is where I've slept the last twenty-some years. When they were still here, ever since then, except the few years after they left I was with my parents." I walked down the steps to ground level, we were now in Autobot territory, my territory. It took four stories on the human side to match the one Autobot story.

"This is B-" Sarah cut herself off and glanced at me, but I wasn't bothered too much. Not here where the Autobots once called home.

"Yes. We slept there." I motioned to the spot bellow the small balcony where the door was. I continued out, almost back to my normal mood. It was nice to be here and prove I haven't forgotten anything.

"These doors lead to different rooms." I said, they were each ajar. I went into the first. "This was Arcee's." it was slightly smaller than the others, and there was more pink.

"The one across the hall was Chromia's." I motioned to said room, they went in and I stood in the door way. Will was seeing the whole place from a different perspective, so this was all new in a way for him too.

"Farther along, we have The rec room. Ironhide and Ratchet developed controllers large enough for them to play. That dent in the wall was the result of Skids and Mudflap's last fight on Earth." I gestured to above the Autobot-sized couch. In a way, I was seeing the building from a new perspective too. Physically. I've usually seen it from the Autobot's level, now I was on the ground. And that made me frown.

I showed them the rest of the base, and we ended in the entrance room, before the building parted into the two separate sides. With that thick wall separating them, it separated not just the two halves, but the humans from the Autobots. Maybe that's what made the government force them off Earth. The wall between humanity and Cybertronians. With those rare doors between the races, NEST. Only one of those doors have never been locked, literary. The door between my room, because it was built for me, and Bee's.

I sighed and turned to them, my grim face back in place.

"We need to leave now. Dinner needs to be finished." Sarah said, frowning at my face. She had realized I was almost happy here, and didn't want to take me from that. But she didn't realize if I stayed here too long, I would be sadder than if I was never here. As I said, I had real memories here. Real things to be upset over, not substitutes to frown at their existence.

"Let's go." Will said, holding the door open. I walked out after Sarah, heading toward the truck.

Half way back, Sarah seemed to want to try to cheer me up again.

"So, why did they leave?" it was the first question that came to mind, and she knew talking about them would help.

"They didn't just leave. They were forced off Earth." I said.

"By who?"

"Your government. I've had too many, arguments, with them. I now hate them about as much as I hate Starscream."

"Starscream, second in command on the Decepticon fraction."

"Not Megatron,"

"Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. Sam killed him once, but he came back to life and tried to kill him."

"because I don't hate them that much."

"Megatron didn't just try to kill him, he did kill Sam. But the original Primes, the Cybertronian dynasty, sent him back. Sam also hates Megatron's circets for killing Optimus, But Sam brought him back with the Matrix of Leadership. A key with tremendous power, originally created to activate something called the solar harvester. This was a machine designed to harvest our sun and turn its power into Energon and destroy our species in the process. Energon is-" I cut Will off.

"Seriously, you don't have to define everything. Energon is their energy, used for different purposes. Mostly it's like their blood." I explained without having to define anything else. "That was easy."

"So, this went from why they left to their blood?" she asked. I nodded, though she couldn't se it.

"Oh, uh. I think we have a new problem." Will said, pulling to a stop in front of the house.

"What?" Sarah asked worried.

"What are we going to tell Annie?" I frowned, it was probably best if we didn't tell her. I'm going to move out before she realizes I'm not aging, and she's probably better off not knowing I came from a group of aliens and that I'm practically one of them.

"Sam is a friend of yours. His parents kicked him out on his eighteenth birthday, so you decided to take him in. I agreed." Will said as if it was true. He's been part of a top secret military branch, of course he's a convincing liar.

"Why can't he be your friend? He is." she objected, I could tell it was just curiosity.

"Where would I have met him? You're a high school teacher. I don't have a job." she smiled sheepishly and got out.

"Alright then." I followed them out and realized just why Will thought of this problem.

Annabelle was sitting on the front porch, waiting for us. Or, for them. She didn't know me.

Wait, she's going to recognize me! Surely she's seen posters. I glanced at the other two, they hadn't realized this.

Oh great, this plan is as good as gone.

* * *

Hey, hoped it was good. I don't know, but I didn't expect to get another up so quickly. I rushed to get the rest of my stories updated, then planned to ride my bike to the park the rest of the day for some quiet time, but I got back early. So, surprise!

I know, you don't care about this, but my mind is fried right now, so if I don't have a plot, I'm going to type whatever crosses my mind for two seconds. I'm going to stop now, so I don't bore you.

R&R


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, uh, keep reading. The story is somewhere down there. Hope you like it.

* * *

"Hey, who's this?" Annabelle asked as we walked toward her.

"This is a friend of your mothers." Will answered before said woman could say anything.

"Yeah. He is a former student. His parents kicked him out and he can't afford to live on his own yet, so I invited him to stay with us for a while." She smiled.

"You look familiar. What's your name?" she asked. I gulped, realizing not only did everyone around here know my name and face, but I also realized who her parents were. Will, leader of NEST, and Sarah, she could have intimidated Ironhide at times, I'm sure.

"Uh,-" I paused. She stared at me. I glanced at Will for help.

"Sam Witwicky." she said. She rounded on her parents. "Why are you hiding him? Wait, shouldn't you be older? Or did he have a relative younger than me?"

"Annabelle," her mother started.

"Sarah," I started. "She's not little anymore. And you do know who her parents are. There's no point." I sighed.

"Oh, I don't know if I should be proud or upset." Will smiled. "You could have served in NEST had it still been here."

"So, this is Sam Witwicky?" she asked. "Then would you answer my question? And what's NEST?"

"Let's go sit down." Sarah suggested. I followed them all in. I should just leave. That way Annabelle doesn't need to concern herself with this whole mess. And the Lennox's don't need to bother with me.

"You know what; I'm going back to the base." I started to walk back toward the door. Something caught my shirt again and he towed me to a chair, forcing me down.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put?" He asked. I looked down.

"Why does he obey dad like that?" Annie asked, sitting down on the couch, pulling a cushion onto her lap.

"I still technically have a higher position than him. Though he's technically in the other section, I'm a leader." he answered, sitting next to her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. He looked to me. Why do I have to explain it? I see no point. I didn't want to do this in the first point. Why can't he just do it?

"What?" I asked.

"Introduce yourself Sam." he said. I sighed, still not understanding his reasoning. Then I remembered he could be cruel.

"Alright. I am Samuel Witwicky. I don't have a complete answer to why I don't age, but I don't." he still stared at me and so did Annabelle. I frowned. "Why can't you just tell her? She's your daughter!"

"But it's your story. And you're great at telling it." he said. Sarah came around the corner with pop corn and I glared at her. Stop egging him on.

"Fine, whatever." I looked away. "NEST is a secret-"

"Was. Was a secret." Will corrected. Of course. He can correct, but he can't tell it.

"Yeah, was. It was a secret government military sector. It consisted of a group of highly trained humans confined to secrecy working with a small group of alien robots that can transform into cars." I said. She stared at me. I said it too casually, said nothing to lead up to it. Of course she doesn't believe me.

"Right. Why is he here? I'm still waiting to know why you are keeping this boy from his parents, who are looking for him."

"Annie, its true." her mother said. "I just found out earlier. And Sam can't return to his parents."

"No, seriously." She said, unsure of herself this time.

"I am." I said. "I wouldn't lie about this, though you have no way of knowing. I can give you each of the alien's names, their species name. What kind of vehicle they each were. Their enemies' names, some of their vehicles. I can tell you what order they landed on Earth, what they did before the war, what the war's about. Each of their individual peeves and what they personally like. I knew them on a level NEST didn't." I ended.

"Ok, so, say you're all telling the truth and you really don't age. Wouldn't you have been part of this NEST?" she asked.

"Well," I paused. "No. I wasn't on the human army sector, nor was I a part of their team. I was the civilian that always hung around them. I was close enough to them that I was often carried around as normally as you carry a purse. I was the most trusted human." I smiled proudly.

"So, if they liked you so much, why did they leave?" she asked, starting to believe, but still demanding proof before accepting it.

I looked away, "The government." I sighed. "They believed the Decepticons,"

"The Autobots', they ones we helped, enemies." Will cut in; ready to define any terms she wouldn't be familiar with, as he had with Sarah.

"Were only still on earth to seek out them. So the government tossed them from Earth with no second thoughts after all they did for us." I glared at the wall. "I officially avoid the government as much as I would Decepticons."

She stood up. "I'm getting out of here. None of this is real. Aliens don't exist. Without proof, I'm not going to take you seriously. You may have convinced my mom, and brainwashed my dad, but I can tell the difference between something from some sci-fi book and reality." she started to walk away, I thought quickly. If she left, she'd probably get authorities and they would force my back to my parents, who I would have to explain why I still look 19. Then the government would inevitably get involved and that means 'good-bye life'.

"Wait." I said. She turned to me. The pictures wont due, they still look like regular cars. But, I had other pictures. Ones the government never let leave the base before. But I hate them enough as it is, what's one more thing to disobey them going to do? All pictures of the Autobots in their bi-pedal form were supposed to be destroyed, but I would never burn a picture of Optimus, Ratchet, or even Wheelie. I would never so much as rip a picture of anyone between. Harming a picture of my guardian was completely out of the question.

I took out the small credit-card sized device the Autobots had given me, knowing I didn't want to lose everything and let me keep pictures. She stared at it curiously, so did her parents.

"What is that Sam?" Will asked.

"I wanted to keep it secret, I didn't want to risk it for anything, but the Autobots gave me this to hold pictures. Only I can activate it, so security isn't an issue. But if the government ever got a hold of this, I would lose my last connection to the past." They swarmed around me. I held it up, activating it. A hologram shot up of a picture advanced with Cybertronian technology. 3D images emitted from the surface, they rotated completely around, spinning slowly.

The first was Optimus and me. We were talking and I was relaxed in his hand. It was his upper half, but with me in his hand, you easily got a sense of his size.

Annabelle gasped and the other two stared wide-eyed.

"So it's true!" she shook her head in disbelief.

Sarah stared at it, the technology, the picture, and how relaxed I was, all amazed. For Will, none of it was new. He's seen the technology on the Autobots themselves. It's similar to what Optimus used the first few minutes I knew him, when he showed and image of Cybertron. When he made is as if we were there. But a closer example is probably when Jetfire used to project an image of The Fallen. But it still interested him.

"How does it work?" he asked.

"I hold it, it knows my signature. Then I can, I don't know, will it to change. But I have to have contact here." I flipped it over and showed him a small black spot surrounded by the saucer's yellow. The colors were suggested by Arcee, as a further remembrance of Bee, since we were closest.

I flipped it back over and replaced my hand over the black spot and the image returned. "This is Optimus Prime and me." I informed the two that didn't know. Sarah might have guessed from the colors similarity to the semi I had shown her. I willed it to change.

"This is just Ironhide. He had to show off his cannons in his picture." I smiled. Will shook his head fondly. The two girls looked intimidated, though they knew the real cannons were light-years away, on the Ark. "He was your dad's partner and friend." I told Annie.

I changed it again and Sarah guessed. "Arcee?"

"Yes. Her Alt form is your bike." I said to Annie again before moving on. "Ratchet, chief medical officer." I switched again, there were allot and I didn't know how many they wanted to see. "Optimus and Ironhide, Sideswipe. Sideswipe and his brother, Sunstreaker. He wanted to be in one picture with his twin, even though I didn't know him well. "Jolt and Arcee. Skids and Mudflap." I went on. Another thing about this device, I can skip any and all pictures I wanted.

After a minute, Sarah and Will realized I had something to do with the absence of pictures of my guardian.

"Sam. Why am I yet to see a certain young scout?" Will asked. I stopped on the current one, one of me and Ratchet.

"Do you really want to see picture after picture of us?" Surely he knew Bee, weather with me, the others, both, or alone took up over half the pictures.

"Well, I at least want to see a few. And it would probably do them good to get a better understanding of how close you two were." I thought a moment, then nodded. That was a good idea. I started with one Optimus had scanned one night, still on the air craft carrier. That was the beginning of the times I slept above his spark. Optimus had thought it was a 'cute' moment, and no doubt he still had it.

"Is that you there?" Sarah asked, as the picture rotated to where she could see me tucked under Bee's hand, all curled up and relaxed. I nodded then changed to another.

This one showed me sitting atop his shoulder as he walked somewhere. I couldn't tell you when that was, situations like that happened all the time. Another was with me sitting on a counter in front of him as he aimed his cannon at a target in the shooting range. I was that relaxed with him, to lean casually against the wall as he had an active cannon just above me and shooting.

The next was me clinging to the plating on Bee's shoulder as Ratchet tried to pull me away for a checkup. He said I would get and infection from the cut I had gotten on my lower arm, but I insisted I was fine. Bee made no move to go against the short tempered medic, nor remove me from his side.

"I think I get the picture." Annabelle said. "You never left his side." she frowned, not seeing why this was important.

"Not just this, but he was my guardian." It pained me to use past tense. "I trusted him and Optimus more than my own parents. He was my best friend, guardian, and took care of me at times. He was protective. A Decepticon would have better fortune being stripped of his weapons and left to the demise of Ironhide and Sideswipe, and likely Sunstreaker, than threatening me." I said. Her eyes widened, having seen Ironhide's cannons a few times and she knew the other two's love for fighting from short stories behind a few strange pictures.

"So, if the government made them leave, and they liked you so much. And you liked them so much, since it seems you'd rather be on some destroyed planet with them than on Earth without, why didn't they take you with them?" she asked.

I hesitated. "Well, what would I have eaten, for one. And the government made it clear they were now unwanted on Earth and taking me, even if it had been my idea, would have been an abduction. A kidnapping legally. I know the government wouldn't have any means of doing anything about it, but Optimus never goes against their wishes. And he said this was my place, on Earth. I'm sure it has most of a reason I wouldn't survive easily out there. One can only pack so much food, and returning for a refill wouldn't have been allowed."

"But, you don't need to eat." Will pointed out.

"None of us knew this at that point." I think. They didn't seem to have realized I didn't need to eat. But with the excuse for it all I so fiercely clung to, they were coming back. That would mean they knew this all and could have just taken me in the first place.

"Right." she said. "I'm going up stairs." she said, toughly freaked. Now she knew all this, just so I could stay in the house. It was all unnecessary. Why didn't Will just leave me alone in the first place?

I sighed and walked outside, neither of the two Lennox parents stopping me. They knew I wouldn't run away at this point. It was night, a clear night. So I decided to stare at the stars. Sometimes I wonder if they stare at the stars, which would be less unknown since they have gone so many places amongst them, and find our sun. I knew it was foolish, they were giant robot soldiers, focused on fighting and winning the war. Why would they look back at the star that the planet they called home for a few short years rotated around. Reminiscing old times and missing those they called friends?

When I thought about it, I knew they probably would every once in a while. They were still people, and they had called Earth home. I know Optimus, at least, missed this place. He was fond of living here, being able to call the natives, us, friends. And Bee, I knew he would miss Earth too. I don't see myself as self centered to say he probably would look back at our sun and miss me most. Because he did care for me greatly.

I laid out on the lawn, more comfortably here than indoors. I would sleep out here for tonight. I miss them every day, for the last twenty years. Right now, I just gave in and let myself mourn the lost friendship in my petty ways.

* * *

Things will pick up. I'm just trying to get this on track, everyone being on the same page and to show how much Sam does miss the Autobots. I might make the story start to happen in the next chapter, but what will it be? The Autobots on Earth? A chapter from one of the Autobots POV? The government find Sam? His parents find him? Do the Decepticons come in before the Autobot's return? Wait until the next update to find out. Yeah know, because you kinda can't read it until I post it.

R&R


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, something, something, something dark side. Useless movie quotes to waste space. I'm never giving you this All Spark! Earth? Terrible name for a planet, might as well call it dirt. Planet Dirt.

Enjoy the chapter; my mind can't come up with anything unless it's part of my stories. MY AN'S ARE USELESS RIGHT NOW! Hope you like it.

* * *

I woke up the next day to Will standing above me.

"The whole point of making you stay with us is so you have a place to sleep." He said.

"Then why didn't you make me come in last night?" I asked, sitting up. He crouched down next to me.

"You looked to peaceful. Sam, why did you sleep out here? You know you could have slept inside."

"Yeah." I sighed. "I'd rather sleep outdoors, on the ground, than on something so soft."

"I know. If you want, I'll get a metal slap to stick up in one of the rooms." he said. I frowned.

"No, don't. I'm honestly fine out here." he sighed.

"I already got you here, I'm not going to try to get much else out of ya. If you honestly don't want to live in a house, and would rather sleep on the lawn, fine. Whatever. But if any bears or wolves come after you, don't come screaming to me. We do live in the middle of the forest after all." I nodded, accepting this.

"Alright. Sarah's serving breakfast. I know you don't eat, but you could at least sit at the table." he stood up and held out a hand. I took it and he pulled me to my feet, almost falling over at the force he used when I pushed myself up with it.

"You're getting old, Lennox." I smirked.

"You shush. If need be, I can still take down a Decepticon. And that's what matters." I smiled a bit. I could see myself staying here. Just not long term. The only place I could really see myself is with the Autobots.

I followed him inside and sat at the table just as Sarah served pancakes and Annie turned the corner.

"I totally forgot about you." she eyed me before yawning. "So what do you do all day if you can't have contact with the outside world, or eat?"

"Nothing." I shrugged. I usually stayed in one room with my picture device going; I can also will it to keep going until I will it to stop, not touching the black spot. I either wrote, nothing in particular, sometimes they were letters never to be sent. Or I drew.

"Must be boring." she said before stuffing her mouth.

"How did you keep from going insane?" Sarah asked.

"From time to time, I spoke with Will. I also had my IPod, filled with the same music Bee and I collected." I sighed.

"What kind of music? It must be old stuff. Mom plays some boring classical sometimes. From most of what I've read and the stations that still play music from your time, it was almost all rap or hip-hop." Annabelle grimaced.

"No. It wasn't. Far from it. That was just popular. But it wasn't the only popular music. Here." I took it out and turned to the album I had most recently listened to. "I listen to all kinds. This one was one Bee played often before they left, though he knew it couldn't happen." I clicked play and the room was filled with 'Runaway Train' by Soul Asylum. They listened as they ate and I smiled. Music had worked miracles these past twenty years, keeping me from losing my mind. Bee had twitched my IPod nano, originally only 8GB, to hold all the music we had found we liked and tones of movies, games, books (there were a few I liked) and other stuff.

"He wanted you to runaway with them?" Will said the obvious. I nodded.

"This one we found, it was strange, but for some reason, he liked it. I thought it was ok." I changed to 'Every time I look for you' by Blink-182. There weren't many songs by them. I changed to the next, 'I miss you' and then 'The rock Show'.

"Who else do you have? Do I know anyone?" Annie asked. I thought for a minute.

"Who could she know from back then?" I asked her dad. He shrugged.

"Bon Jovi was popular for a long while. They might still play a few of his stuff on the radio."

"Who?" she asked.

"I take that as a no." I sighed. "Oh. Here, have you ever heard of Five for Fighting? Probably not, I didn't know many people who knew them back then. They don't have as up-beat songs, but this one stuck with me when they left." I quickly found the song '100 Years'.

They listened for a while, quickly realizing why it stuck. Sarah gave me a look and I changed it. This really was a conversation I could get animated in. Over the past twenty years, music really was all I had.

"This is The Killers. Bee said it should be my theme song." I played 'Space Man'. They smiled at the words.

"Yeah, that is your song." Will laughed. "Do you have Matchbox 20?" he asked. I nodded, finding their list of songs. I handed him my IPod when I got there and he looked through it, letting the current song finish before playing a new one. I saw Sarah out of the corner of my eye, smiling at me. I only then realized I had a wide smile across my face. And its fine, many of these songs had meaning to them.

And trust him to play 'How Far We've Come'. I smiled sadly. He glanced at me.

"Well? Is it or is it not your song for the day they left?" I shook my head. It was a good song, but he was right. He isn't just saying that, Bee had high-jacked the building's speaker system before anyone woke up and played this song through the whole place. He had planned it perfectly, waking up even before Optimus, who usually the first to get up, even before all the humans.

That day we talked about this and that, always having one of my old songs going. We only found one person Annie recognized, Paula Cole. I wonder how she knew her, but I didn't ask. Paula wasn't a widely spread artist, but evidently she had gone to a garage sale once and found one of her albums. She had brought it down 'This Fire'.

Night came again quickly. I guessed it was the weekend, for Sarah hadn't gone to work, but I haven't kept track of the days for a while.

I again went out to the front yard. I had refused the blanket Sarah had offered and closed the door. They worried about me, I know, but I don't know how to help that. I took my IPod out with me, listening to one last song as I tried to sleep. 'Two shall pass' by Ok Go. It was a strange favorite of ours; he played it at random times.

Just as the song came to an end, I saw a shooting star. At one point in time, I would have thought it was an Autobot or Decepticon about to land, but not now. Optimus would never let anyone come back to earth against the government's request. And the last grudge the Decepticons had against this planet should have been gone by now. Me. I guessed they thought I had already died for some reason without the Autobots, or they would have come after me earlier. Either that, or they think this is worse than death for me.

I sighed and turned off my IPod, yes, it's yellow. Bee got it for me for my birthday once and made it yellow to flatter himself. But I never complain.

I closed my eyes just before another 'shooting star' went by above. I would never have known what was to come.

* * *

Sorry if it's inexcusably short, but I wanted this to be one of those 'extra' chapters. One that just basically shows time has passed among other things. And I don't own any of those songs, I was listening to my IPod while writing this chapter and though music would be a good thing to waste time on. Everyone likes it, even if you don't like my taste. And I honestly think that if someone were to spend twenty years practically alone with no outside contact, other than Will, music would be the best thing to keep him sane. It's the only thing that would keep me sane.

Well, did I do a good job for the waist of time to lead to what's to come?

R&R


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, new chappie. Well, that's the extent of my news. Hope you like it. =.)

* * *

When I woke up, it was still dark. I got the feeling I was being watched, but quickly shook it off as I sat up to watch the stars disappear and the sun rise. It was very pretty, but I'd seen it many times during my twenty years alone, with nothing much else to do.

I kept saying how it's been twenty years, but sometimes it didn't feel very long compared to the fact I would be living for much longer than twenty years. Other times, it felt like eternity has already come and gone, and I just had more to endure.

I heard the front door open and Sarah shouted out to me.

"Sam, come in. Were about to have breakfast." I sighed and stood up.

"Coming." I glanced toward the forest; I think I might pay a visit to the base again today. I looked back at the house; Sarah had already shut the door. I sighed again and slumped inside. My somewhat good mood can only last so long, and going back to my usual mood made me miss them even more than usual.

Breakfast wasn't very eventful, when it was over; I decided to tell them I planned to head out to the base.

"I'm coming too then." I don't want you getting all depressed again." Will insisted. I nodded allowing it before heading outside. He hurried to catch up with me, for I was already next to the door.

I started toward the forest as Will headed toward the garage. He noticed me and shouted.

"Where are you going? You don't have to walk from here to there anymore." He said. I kept walking.

"I don't want to take a GMC Topkick. I'm probably not going to spend much time in the garage." I said. I heard him groan as he started after me. I slowed to allow him to catch up, but didn't stop.

"What? Getting too old to take walks?" I tried to tease, but I kept my eyes on my shoes, frown on my face.

"No, But it isn't exactly a mile or two to the base. And there's a perfectly good truck in there!" He objected, falling into step next to me.

"I'm not taking that truck." I said stubbornly.

"Fine, you take the bike. I'll take the truck." I glared at him and he sighed. "Fine. Alright. You were doing so well. We took the truck last time." he grumbled.

"Last time I hadn't gone through a fraction of the pictures the day before or had to explain about them and why I was so upset." I said quietly. He didn't say anything for a minute.

"Maybe I should have let you go alone. Get a grip on yourself again."

"No, it's alright. You'll probably want to head back before I do though. I might sleep over again."

"Sam! I said you were staying with us! Staying in that old building is going to do you no good."

"It's been my home forever Will." I objected. "When they were here, and after they left. You can't expect me not to want to go back. The only thing you might have more trouble with is taking the pictures."

"I'm not going to take the pictures." He assured, though I knew he wouldn't. "But I don't think they're coming back. You know Optimus better than I did. And _I_ know he wouldn't let anyone come back as long as the government remembered them and didn't want them here."

"But the government just keeps order. This isn't their planet. When it comes to that, I have just as much a say as one of them do."

"But there's only one of you, 'cause I'm not taking sides, and a million of them. It isn't just the United States government; it's the world's governments." He paused. "And I don't think you would get a say in it at all. You're practically one of them. Weren't you their ambassador at one point?" I nodded. "Well, than isn't it obvious your opinion is bias? It wouldn't count."

"Whatever." I looked back down at my feet, knowing he was right. "I'm still staying the night here." He sighed.

"Alright. Fine. I guess it's better to stay in a place you can stay for some portion of your life. You're going to have to leave our place eventually."

"Will, I'm still going to stay at your house. Ok? I just want to stay at least this one last night. Leaving this place is like leaving them."

"You aren't. You still have the pictures and memories."

"The past isn't exactly the best thing to hold on to in the future. I just can't let go." He was silent and I suddenly felt as if someone was watching me again. I didn't even look around. If grief was finally driving me insane, there's no point in looking. If I see anything, I should go back to the house and have someone lock me in a padded room. If I see nothing, then I'm going to continue to see nothing, and it will only add to my grief.

And, because a part of me really was stubborn enough to hope they really would come back, if they were watching and didn't want me to know, I wouldn't know. But you can never help the feeling.

WE walked in silence until we got to the base. I headed through the doors, weaving skillfully and surprisingly quickly toward my first goal. The rec. room.

I sat in the spot I had so many times before, taking out the pictures and willing it to keep going before setting it in front of me. I didn't take out my IPod, I wanted silence. Will just watched me. He did say he came to make sure I didn't get depressed again. He only came to look out for me.

After a while, I decided to head in for the night, I turned off the device and put it in my pocket. I walked out and toward our room, though after all these years, it would only be my room. Will followed me until I lay down.

"Night." he said, giving in. "I will be coming back with the truck in the morning though. I don't care if you're walking along side it, I'm taking it. And you are coming back to the house." I nodded and curled automatically. Without my usual sleeping place, it just didn't feel right. I still considered with him my usual spot because I'm still used to it more than I am on the empty metal berth here.

I fell asleep surprisingly quickly, and my dream was even more surprising. In my dream, I was more relaxed than I had been in literary twenty years. I don't know if it was from all the reminiscing lately, but I felt pressure on my back. A familiar kind that would have me relaxed beyond at first thought possible in seconds. And only moments after I felt it, the dream disappeared. I got the best night's sleep I'd gotten in forever.

When I woke up, Will was already here.

"You never sleep in this much. You almost got a normal night's sleep. Maybe this place is doing you well." he mused.

"What do you mean 'normal night's sleep'?" I asked cautiously.

"I mean I left at around eight, and before I left I came back and you were already asleep. And It's now," he glanced at his cell phone clock. "Seven."

"What?" my eyes went wide. Normally I only get around five hours in. "How is that 'almost' normal?" I asked, standing up.

"Well, I actually think that's a bit longer than normal people sleep. You shouldn't be tired or a while."

"Oh no." I gasped. I definitely won't be falling asleep for a while. I bet my body took advantage of my relaxation and used it to catch up on some hours I've missed in the past. But why was I relaxed? If I dream about the Autobots, let alone Bee, I usually see them. And visual does nothing to relax me when I know they aren't real.

"If you're going to be getting this good a sleep, you can stay here every night." Will said. "Do you still want to walk back, or are you ok to ride?" He asked. I hesitated.

"I'll walk." he frowned but agreed.

And so another boring day started. I couldn't keep from thinking about my dream, and every once in a while I would feel as though someone was watching me. I decided my dream was just part of the paranoia. The mourn was going to my head, add on the insomnia, I was going insane.

* * *

I know, short. But I thought it was good for writing the whole chapter between the hours 11 pm and 12 am. I do have a plan, and there are reasons to everything, usually. But, in the overall picture, I think you can figure out what's going on for the most part. But then think this is still early chapters, what's going to happen?

Dun dun dun-dun-dun!

R&R


	7. Chapter 7

Hey, again. Just skip this, usually there's nothing to read.

Hope you like it.

* * *

I walked in silence, as Will had taken the truck. He had said he would take the truck alongside me if I chose to walk, but I said I wanted to walk alone.

I tried to clear my head as I walked, but I wasn't too successful. I had walked this way, gone between these trees, so many times I knew when to step over up rooted roots and when to turn around trees in my way without thinking, for there was no path.

When I was nearing the house, I slowed down. For some reason, I wanted to prolong my walk. But I ended up getting to the house before long. I let myself in, Annie was the only one down stairs.

"Hey." she said from the couch, facing to TV.

"Hey, where are your parents?" I asked, sitting on the ground near-by. She eyed the chair behind me before answering.

"Dad's upstairs. Mom's at work." she paused. "Dad came back two hours ago, what took you so long?"

"I walked." I sighed and leaned back. "I took my time. I enjoy the forest, to an extent."

"By that, you mean..." she left it open for me to fill in.

"We never told you the story, did we?" she shook her head and turned off the TV. "Well, I don't think I can say specifics, but I can give you the big picture. At first it was my guardian, Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, and Jazz. They came to me for my grandfathers glasses. Mikayla was just with me at the time," she'd seen a few of the pictures with Mikayla in them. "Long story short, the glasses had a map to the All Spark, which was really powerful and was the source of all their life. We had a run in with Sector-7, a team of humans dedicated to seeking out Cybertronians and basically dissecting them. We got the Cube, Megatron came after it, and thus the battle of Mission City." that battle was now in text books along with things like 9/11 and Egypt.

"I ended up with the Cube and Megatron came after me. I shoved it in his chest, he died, and the All Spark was destroyed."

"Wow, you killed the bad guys' leader?" I nodded.

"But he came back. The Decepticons got a shard left from the All Spark and revived him two years later. My guardian was with me usual, but I sent him to the base because I wanted a normal life. I got kidnapped, Optimus came and saved me, Megatron killed him. I nearly went crazy, we found something called the 'Matrix of Leadership'. I got it to Optimus and brought him back to life, he killed a 'con named 'The Fallen'. The Fallen wanted to use the Matrix to turn on this machine that would harvest our sun so we all would die. He was an original Prime, so only Optimus was able to take him down. This was the battle of Egypt and why the pyramids look like they do now."

"Wow, you really did allot. Is that it?" I nodded.

"Pretty much, yeah." I looked down.

"So, why did you say you only liked forests to an extent?"

"I still hold on to the past. Memories long since gone. It happened over twenty years ago, but when Megatron killed Optimus, it was in the forest. Things like that still affect me. Like I still glare at regular planes that go overhead. And I hold a grudge against all S-7 agents even though I haven't seen any of them for over 20 years."

"Why?"

"They took my guardian all those years ago. Back before I killed Megatron. The tortured him, they didn't understand the difference between good guys and bad guys. Honestly, if I seen one again, I'll probably have to hurt them."

She was silent. A door shut upstairs and we heard Will come down the stairs.

"Oh, so you finally decided to make an appearance?" he said, rounding the corner. I rolled my eyes. "Hey Annie, could you get food for the week?"

"Why can't you do it?" she asked.

"Unless you want to eat burgers and hot dogs the whole week, I think you should go." she groaned.

"Right. Not doing that again." she sighed and stood up, taking some money from her dad. "Where are the keys?"

"In the truck."

"Aren't you worried someone'll steal it?"

"Annie, we live out in the middle of nowhere. How many people are going to come all the way out here to steal such an old model?" At the time, it was new. It still looked new.

"Right, bye." she left. I turned to Will.

"Burgers and hot dogs?"

"They made the mistake of sending me out for food. Haven't gone since." He smiled triumphantly.

"So, you did it on purpose." He nodded and took Annie's seat, turning on the TV. I sighed and leaned back into the chair behind me. We watched the television for awhile, not expecting anything to happen.

Then, everything changed via something so normal. Something that would have been so normal at one point in time, something so normal it was so casual, but it surprised me so much.

Will and I both sat there in shock, wide eyes, as a large engine pulled up in front of the house. It was obviously a large vehicle, and there's no reason for a large vehicle to come all the way out here. The last time I even herd such an engine was when that blue and red semi came up.

Will never would have suspected such a thing. He still sat frozen as I stood up. A small part of me thought they would return, the paranoid part, so I recovered first.

I didn't even glance out the window, for the curtains were drawn, as I headed toward the door. The engine cut, and no abnormal sounds reached my ears.

I opened the door before Will snapped out of it.

I froze momentarily when my thoughts were confirmed. Will took this moment to stand up and join my side.

"No driver." he whispered. Seeing anyone Cybertronian was something no one expected to happen again in their life time. It was as accepted as visiting an alternate dimension was. But here he was. I took a step forward, over joyed.

He caught the back of my shirt.

"The Decepticons know how you would react if they returned, where's his symbol?" I ignored him and pulled free, something I had been unable to do when I wanted to run from his daughter and wife from the very beginning. I ran over to him and the door opened. I flung myself in and collapsed on the seat. I wasn't even fully in.

After a minute, Will approached, having found the Autobot symbol.

"You're back." he gasped, standing in front of the truck. I pulled myself up and sat fully in the seat, the door didn't close.

"We didn't plan to," that oh-so familiar voice came out, and I relaxed into what I would have been at any time in the past, or, almost. "But the Decepticons had been spotted in the area. We worried they would come here. And we could only think of one reason for them to return. When I heard the boy had gone missing years ago, I worried." I had gotten like a sixth sense, I had always seemed to know when to get out so they could transform.

I took the minimum amount of steps away so he could transform. I smiled brilliantly, still not believing this was happening. When he finished, he glanced down at me. I stared up at him with awe and expectance. He didn't hesitate to crouch down and pick me up. He didn't offer his hand as he had in the past, but that barely crossed my mind, I was ecstatic. I couldn't get my mind to wrap around the fact they were here.

"The Decepticons?" Will fell easily back into the place he had been in before they left, working with them and knowing how to. I sat comfortable in his hand as he held me up.

"Yes. We had been on their trail, but they thought we were tracking Megatron's squad on Cybertron. When they entered your solar system, we took a short cut here just in case. No other planet here holds anything of value. And we knew there was only one reason they would return here." He glanced at me again. I didn't speak, I couldn't.

"When you say we, who do you mean?" Will asked cautiously.

"Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Ratchet, and Ironhide continue to follow the Decepticons. Most everyone else is keeping a close eye on the division of Decepticons on Cybertron. I only allowed one other to come with me to Earth, since we aren't supposed to be here at all." he said, glancing at me again. We all knew who.

"Why isn't he here? More specifically, why hasn't Sam been abducted yet?" Will smiled. I perked at this. Optimus shifted.

"We had a bit of a discussion. I have ordered him not to come yet. He is searching the area for possible Decepticons." He said, obviously hiding something. I frowned, but still didn't speak. I didn't feel compelled to.

"What could you have said to keep the boy from disappearing in the night?"

"Bumblebee is going to have something to talk to Sam. I have a feeling its best if it's just them." he glanced at the forest at that point. "And once he comes, I can probably fill you in on everything. There is much we need to do, and we need to try and avoid the government for farther complication."

"Alright." Will nodded. "How did you land without them knowing? They're watching the skies."

"They have gone slack in their security. There are reasons we never gave them our technology. The closest thing to giving our technology to any human is when we gave the picture device to Sam." He said.

"I thought you didn't was because we weren't' ready for it." Will smirked knowingly.

"Well, that's mostly the reason." He glanced down at me. "Why is the boy silent?"

"He missed you guys. He probably doesn't realize fully what's going on and believes this is all a dream."

"They need to talk soon." he changed the subject. "No doubt he's keeping his scanners on the boy now. Once we leave, Bumblebee will be here. I assure you that. But I told him not to come until I leave. He needs to talk to the boy alone. It's kind of an effect of why he needs to talk to the boy. If he had to do what he did, he could speak to Sam on his own." there was a bit disappointment in his voice, but it was mostly acceptance.

I realized something was going on with Bee, and whatever it was, I don't know if it's good or not. He made it sound as if it wasn't very good, but I don't think it was nothing but bad. Otherwise he wouldn't bring it up and speak about it as such.

"Alright." Will nodded, still not understanding what was going on, but knowing that meant they would be going now. Optimus made to set me down and I hesitated before getting off. I wouldn't have if I hadn't have known Bee was conning soon. He smiled at me sadly.

"I do hope it ends well." He said, before transforming and opening the door for Will. They were soon driving off and I sat down where I was. I think it was only then getting to my head that they were back. But I still couldn't grasp the fact I was about to see my guardian again.

I was still in awe. After twenty years and everything that's happened, Optimus Prime just shows up in the drive. Just that. In a way, I was a bit disappointed at how simple it was, but I was honestly happier to see them than probably any other time in my life. Even when Optimus came back to life, for he was only off line for a few days. It's been _twenty years._

Time passed and it felt like another forever, until Bee came up behind me. I looked up with the biggest smile I'd had in forever, bigger than the one with Optimus, and jumped to my feet. I only took a few steps until he scooped me up and I didn't pay attention to what happened after that. I was too focused on the fact he was back.

* * *

Hey, so this would have been out earlier, but I was practically babysitting my niece and nephew. I'm the only one to be their 'play-mate' and I wouldn't make them sit in the corner doing whatever until I finished a chapter. So I will be leaving soon, going back to not being able to update for a while, so don't get upset that I didn't warn you.

R&R


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, sorry for the long wait, but I am currently doing my best to update all my stories. It is a little short but I hope you like it.

* * *

"Sam." he greeted. I smiled widely.

"Bee." I was beyond happy. After twenty years, I finally get to speak to my guardian again. The reality of it all was catching me again. "You're back."

He nodded, but he looked hesitant about something. I hated to be brought down from the clouds, 'cause I'm flyin' high, but I could tell there was something going on.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You haven't aged." It wasn't a question or a comment. He knew this before he'd seen me. I waited; he didn't say anything for a moment, then, "Do you know why?"

"No, of course not." I replied, shifting from where he held me. I leaned back slightly and relaxed in any way I hadn't already. "But I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

He nodded once more and I shifted in his hand. I leaned back and relaxed in any way I hadn't already. Somehow, this encouraged him and he continued.

"When we left, I knew I was going to miss you allot. The only thing I could think of was coming back when the government would have forgotten about us, but you would have been gone by that time. At that point, my mind was split. I tried to think rationally and maybe I could seek out a descendant, but I was also thinking of how to avoid it. I am sorry." he stopped there.

"Bee, whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Nothing can ruin my mood right now, not unless you guys had to leave again right now. So if it is bad, just say it now and I'm sure I won't see it as that bad." I tried to assure him. He smiled to me fondly before sitting down. This would be a long talk I'm guessing. I thought nothing of it. My mind was still flying at the fact something I thought would never happen was happening. I honestly don't care what we do, as long as he doesn't put me down, I'm fine. Literary nothing, except he already mentioned, can dampen my mood.

"Alright." he began again. Even though he was hesitant in telling me what ever this is, I could tell he was also overjoyed in being with me again. I didn't have to worry about my feet touching the ground. And I probably won't for the next few months.

"What I knew could help avoid you being gone if we returned after the government had surely forgotten us, is a link. It practically makes you immortal. Well, you don't age at the least, and you don't die until my spark goes off line. That would insure you're still here when I would return, because I vowed to return one way or another." He began to slow again, having gotten one bomb shell out, but another was coming. Or perhaps it's the same one, only getting harder.

"But, I wouldn't actually make it. I never would have on purpose, but it kind of happened on its own. I do admit, I wanted it, but I wouldn't have made it."

I suddenly got impatient. "Come on Bee. It really can't be that bad. Nothing is worse than either never seeing any of you guys again, or watching the Decepticons win." I phrased the last part in a way I wouldn't shudder at a mental image. I was suddenly reminded of the reason, or what I now believe is one of the reasons, they are here. Decepticons, again.

"I'll hold you to that." He muttered. "Well, you'll figure it out if I continue just telling you what there is to it, and its best if you figure it out if I tell you honestly and strait out." He stopped again, but I didn't comment. He seemed really serious in doubting my reaction, and he knows me well. Optimus seemed slightly upset about whatever this link was, so I was suddenly unsure if I would be fine with it.

But I couldn't help but remind myself Bee can get a bit irrational in logic when it comes to me, especially in safety. And Optimus wasn't perfect either. There are things he would be against no matter the reason and other things contributing to it. I went through my memory closely and made the conclusion he was more upset with the link itself than my future reaction. But I don't know if this is reliable or I'm just warping my memories to reassure myself.

But what is something that Optimus is so against? And something that would have Bee this worried over my reaction? I can only think of a few things Optimus believes so toughly he would feel this way on. Freedom, innocent life, and the Autobots as a whole. I don't see any one switching sides or being a traitor, and even if they were, how would that have anything to do with a link? Maybe Bee's leaked information to the Decepticons and this link is- I don't know. And Bee's the last, save for Optimus himself, that would commit treason. So it can't have anything to do with the Autobots as a whole.

Innocent life, again I don't see how this can tie into a link between Bee and I. The closest thing I can think of is he's caused them to bring the war back to Earth, and Optimus was relieved to get it off our innocent planet. But that still has nothing to do with a link. What is it?

Then there's freedom. One of his major things, the reason they left Earth in the first place. He had said that we had the right to choose for our planet and if we wanted them off, they would leave. But, what it comes down to is if the government wanted them off, they would leave. Everyone else didn't know about them and the government had had past arguments with the Autobots. I personally think their decision was more based off from pay back for not sharing their advancement in weaponry.

But I made myself remember that that isn't the only way freedom can be denied in this situation. It took me a moment, but I did reach my conclusion just as Bumblebee thought it best to continue.

"The link is called a pet link." I froze. I didn't stiffen, my eyes didn't widen, I just froze in place. I realized what this link was and why Optimus was upset about it. I realized why Bumblebee was so hesitant about it, but I can still see my resolve. They were back, and nothing could bring me down.

He hurried to explain everything else that went with this link, and I took them in. My free being given to him, selective emotion sharing, and of course the titles. I don't know if it's just my 'flying high' still in my mind, or if it's really true, but it didn't sound as bad as Bee had cautioned me. As I thought about all this, my mind still wondered back to the two words they had been earlier. 'They're back.' Sometimes, the words reeling me in were, 'He's back'. But it didn't matter which one it was. The concept was the same.

The question was, did I still concentrate on these words because my mind was still clouded from this, or because I just didn't care enough for my mind to stray from them?

I can answer honestly when I say, I didn't care. Now just if I can find myself again to relax and reassure Bee of this, for he has no idea what my reaction is, and he's finished explaining everything.

* * *

Honestly, the first thing that comes to my mind when I write this AN is how pretty much the same thing has just been brought up in one of my other stories. It is purely chance that it's revealed in both of them at the same time. In 'lies or just not the whole truth', it's been scheduled since 'the fallen scout' and in this one, I thought of it as the plot bunny started its savage attack on my brain. It is coincidence, I assure you.

So, here is yet another long awaited update, it took longer to write than I had anticipated. And with one of the others, I'm utterly stuck. I have no idea what else to do other than follow the story line with the small changes making it mine. I prefer to add a bit of character into it, but that's what I am missing. I'm sure it'll come to me when it's the only one I need to update and I force myself to sit in front of the screen and think until it comes to me.

Anywho, sorry for the long wait again. R&R


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, look. It's another update, I would read now. Hope you like it.

* * *

He waited for a reaction for a little while, then he realized he had it. My reaction, not changing.

"Sam?" he started.

"I don't care. I just am happy this isn't a dream and you guys are back. You know how long the only thing I had was that picture thing?" I asked.

"Twenty years, yes, I know."

"And good. Because nothing is going to faze me. The Lennox's might freak out a bit, but you got yourself one human that will stick around and bother you until I can't." I said.

"Not bother, never bother." he assured. "If anything, I'm not letting you go." his hands twitched around me. I was still sitting in his hands, but they were setting in his lap, for he was cross legged.

"You better not." I replied. He smiled. We were silent once again, then I had to ask. "You are real, right. And I'm not asleep, or Sarah didn't knock me out when she realized I was the Witwicky boy not aged a day?"

He chuckled. "No, I'm real." he assured and I sighed, I'm still not wrapping my head around the fact that they're here. It was, in a way, like meeting them all over again, though it's only Optimus and Bee. "And so are the Decepticons. We're still going to keep an optic out to see if they were returning here." he said. I nodded. Again, for another few minutes, no one spoke. We were both content just to sit there. Then a thought struck my mind.

The government. What are they going to do when they realize the Autobots are back on Earth? What are they going to do when they realize I'm still at eighteen? Are they going to send them away from Earth again? If they do, are they going to let them take me with them? It doesn't matter. After they quiet down again, Bee is definitely coming back for me if I am forced to stay again.

If they send the Autobots away, and the Decepticons come back, they're doomed. Only Will I bet even knows how to fight them still. And he can't fend off all the Decepticons on his own. Perhaps we'd stick around nearby so if the Decepticons do return, we can too. Then, will the government let us help, or force us away still, insisting they can win on their own, which we all know they can't. Or will they let us help? If they don't let us help, what will we do? I know Optimus would never just leave, will we help in secret, or try to lure the Decepticons away? Will we save everyone we can?

Then, if they for some reason want us to stay for a while, probably to yell at the Autobots, what will happen?

My head is spinning in answerless circles.

"What's wrong?" he asked. I glanced up at him. Sometime during the last few minutes, he had shifted me so I was more sitting in his lap. I was leaning back and his hands were now over my front, like a blanket, blocking out the wind. How had he known my thoughts had taken a less cheerful edge?

"It's part of the link." he hesitated. But, instead of telling me, I suddenly felt something that I had never noticed, because it was there for twenty years, a part kind of around my heart open up and my emotions weren't the only I was feeling. Only, it wasn't just emotions that came through the kind of bridge, it seemed like part of his consciousness or whatever came through and wrapped around my heart.

After a moment, he sent me questioning and I was pulled away from the link itself to remember his question.

"I was just thinking about what was going to happen. Surely you guys won't be able to hide from the government for long." He sighed and shifted the hands above me. I folded my legs up to sit cross legged, for they were stretched out in front of me.

"We will deal with that as it comes. Optimus is keeping an eye on anything that might suggest the Decepticons' arrival. As bad as it would be for them to return here, it would be best to have proof of a reason we are here. Because odds are, they won't accept my taking you back as a liable reason." I frowned, the government can't honestly kick them off again. It was horrid enough the first time. They had no reason. The Autobots had done so much for Earth and they just kicked them off like parents that make their kid get a job and take half their money, then kicking them out once the kid is too old to be able to take his money. And the kid had willingly given the money over, doing anything they could to help pay for bills and everything.

"I don't like it." I said. "They had no reason to kick you guys off the first time. Really, they had no right to either. Earth isn't only the government. Billions of other people live here too and they all probably appreciate still living. The government is only supposed to keep us in check."

"Sam, the governments are in charge though. And the rest of the world didn't know about us. They couldn't have said anything." He tried to sooth.

"What about me? What about me, and Mikayla, and my parents, and Will, and Sarah, Annabelle" Even though she wasn't old enough to really even have clearance to know of the 'bots, "And Epps and his family, what about all of NEST? We all knew, we all should have had a say."

He was silent for a moment, then shifted his hand to hold me closer slightly. "You should have had more of a say, but the governments represented each part of Earth. They were supposed to speak for their country. I know it wasn't fair, because they can't speak for their country if their country couldn't have an opinion. But it is all flawed. It would have ended disastrous if we had objected with these reasons. This had come up many times on the Ark. Optimus said that doing all this would mean we would have taken control in a way. And even if the governments are flawed and unfair, they are still in charge. It isn't our place. The humans must learn everything on their own."

I was silent for a while longer. "They will destroy themselves before they realize they need to change." I said quietly. Speaking as if I'm not one of them was something we had always done. Because I really wasn't. I am only the same species, but it means nothing. "Or just enough to have to start all over again and forget what they have learned."

"We destroyed ourselves." he pointed out. "But this is true. They seem to have done this much quicker than we had. There isn't time to change, or find a way to live on, when their planet is dead."

Again, silence.

"But," he started. "there are people that know what they're doing. There are people that can turn everything around. They're just in the wrong positions." he glanced at me. "Like Mikayla, and your parents, and Will, Sarah, Annabelle, Epps and his family, and all of NEST. They're all proof the human race isn't doomed. Proof they are slowly changing their ways. But I'm taking the one person that is light years ahead and knows best of anyone how to change their fate with me when we leave Earth. While the others show a slow change, you are already where they are headed. I just hope they get there before it's too late."

I smiled. He was just back, and we were already talking as if we had been together all this time. A longer time of silence passed than before, then he sighed. After probably about an hour, he spoke again.

"Optimus is headed back here with the Lennox's. When they return, we will speak for a while, then it is time to recharge. We needed it, and judging from your drooping eyes, you do too." I smiled up at him again and he shifted his hand.

My mind, recently on depressing topics, was once again reveling in the two Autobots' return. Now that I was with Bee again, I can now enjoy Optimus being here also.

He lifted me up and healed me close to his spark just before I could hear a familiar engine approach. Just as it had what felt like decades ago. Only this time, I wasn't in shock. I was just so happy.

* * *

Hey, I honestly didn't think I would be able to get this out. I honestly didn't plan what it said, it just came out this way. But I think it kind of has the right(ish) effect for their reunion.

I have literary no more time, R&R.


	10. Chapter 10

Hey, uh, I don't have much to say, it's kinda short. Sorry. So, uh, I'm going to get started. Hope you like it. =.)

* * *

Optimus pulled back into the yard, letting Will out. He walked toward us, grinning. Optimus hadn't told him why Bee needed to speak to me alone.

"Sam, it's good to see you whole again." He turned to Bee, "And it's good to see you at all again."

"It's nice to see you too Will." Bee nodded, still sitting. Optimus transformed and took a step to situate himself next to Will in front of us.

"I didn't tell him." he said.

"I must tell Will too?" Bee frowned.

"No, but I thought it best if we wait for his family to return." Optimus assured. I looked over to Will.

"It's been a while and I just remembered Annabelle went for groceries. Do you think she's alright?"

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Sam, Sam, Sam. While the upside of sending my daughter instead of going myself is, I don't have to go. But there are consequences. She's going to spend two hours for an hour trip," of course it would take more than an hour being how far they lived out in the forest, but he was just making a point. "And I'm going to be a hundred dollars poorer than need be to just get food. If she has to go out, she's going to bring back more than sustenance." I rolled my eyes, realizing what he was saying.

"But she should return soon. And Sarah gets off at four-thirty." he said, brushing of his earlier manner of speaking. "So, I can't have any hints?"

"Sorry, it's kind of hard to drop hints without you finding out." Bee said, shifting me. "Do they know we're here?"

"Oh, uh, I didn't think it best to tell Annabelle over the phone. She could crash, or her reaction might not be completely flattering in public." he scratched his head.

Just then, what ironic timing, we all heard the engine to the truck approach. Optimus was standing somewhat behind a tree and the house was large enough to hide al but his head from the front of the house. The drive went around back, where guests parked, but the garage was in the front. Where she parked before cutting the engine. We all listened curiously as she entered the house with the bags, making a few trips. She didn't say anything we could hear, so she probably thought we went back to the base.

But then, she walked past the window, the one facing us. She walked right passed without noticing anything, then we heard her stop walking. She quickly ran back to the window and leaned out with wide eyes, staring at everyone.

"WHAT THE FLIP?" she exclaimed. She was now openly staring up at Optimus, she was on the second story and Optimus's head rose above the roof. Her mouth hung open as he smiled back politely.

"Annie," Will started, walking toward the house and looking up at her. As he stepped around Optimus, they both looked down at him. Optimus shifted slightly out of the way and Annabelle looked scared he was going to step on her dad. She stared at Will worriedly, eyeing Optimus's feet carefully, then looked between us all again, finally noticing how I sat comfortably in Bee's hands. It probably hadn't clicked with her yet that they were the Autobots, even though she'd seen pictures of them.

"Calm down, there is no reason to shout." he tried to calm her down.

"No reason- Dad! What the heck is going on here?"

"If you would come down here, we will explain." he said calmly, coming to a stop.

"I'm not taking my eyes off any of you!" she threatened, glancing at us all again. I know, she was freaking out and right now it looked like Bee is either holding me affectionately or holding me captive. And Optimus was either standing next to Will patiently, or readying himself to step on the man.

"Alright, then Come on down." he glanced up at Optimus, who nodded and approached the window, offering his hand. I was reminded of the first night I ever knew them, when he let Mikayla in through the window in an attempt to get us to find the glasses quicker.

She backed up. "Wait a minute here." she shook her head.

"She was much braver as a child." Optimus commented, retracting his hand and looking down at Will.

"Yeah, well, then she was only three." Will rolled his eyes. "Let me up there." he sighed. Optimus crouched and let Will onto his palm before taking him to the window. Will didn't get off, instead he just dangled his feet over and leaned forward, pulling his daughter back to the edge.

"Dad, you're going to fall!" she fretted, but we all knew that wasn't the only thing she worried about.

"No I' m not." he sighed, "No get out here. It's perfectly safe. You have more of a chance of going to Hogwarts than Optimus letting you fall." she finally realized that they were the Autobots, but she was still hesitant. All the same, she let her father pull her onto Optimus's hand so he could return them both to the ground.

"Thanks Optimus." Will nodded up at him.

"It's alright. I'm sure Ironhide has the same chance of sending me off line if the girl got hurt as Bumblebee does if his boy got injured." he smiled and glanced at my guardian, deciding to revise his sentence when he seen how Bee shifted me again. "Better he has half the change, because Bumblebee will have me in the pit within the minute."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true. He likes you. If it were one of the others, on the other hand..." Will trailed off.

"They'd all be off line." Bee finished for him. Annabelle looked thoroughly freaked by their conversation.

"But the point is," Will stepped closer to his daughter, "Ironhide would not be happy if you got hurt."

"Alright," she shook herself out of her thoughts. "So, you guys are actual Autobots." We all nodded, "then, what the heck?" she shouted again.

"Alright, we'll answer all your questions." Will said, leading her over to a lawn chair, then sitting in one himself. Bee turned so we faced them again, and Optimus decided to sit down so we were at least kind of close to the same height. "What is the first question that comes to your mind, and please don't say 'what the heck?'"

She sighed, trying to relax a bit. "Weren't you supposed to be off Earth?" she asked.

"Yes, but we have reason to believe the Decepticons are returning. So we came ahead of them in an attempt to defend Earth once again." Optimus replied patiently.

"Ok, then, you is Optimus," said mech nodded and she turned to us. "And you're Bumblebee."

"Then I take it Will and Sam have told you about us already?" my guardian asked. She nodded, eyeing me. How he clutched me close and how I huddled even closer.

"Yeah. Alright, ok." she thought up another question. "Alright, one think keeps coming back to mind," she turned back to Optimus. "Isn't Ironhide the one that worked with Dad?"

"Yes. Ironhide was my partner. We were good friends, he often came home with me during my breaks." he paused, knowing why she asked. "The trigger-happy mech had a soft spot for a certain toddler running around a certain house. Your lap top was actually a gift from him."

"I didn't get the lap top until I was fifteen." she pointed out.

"Well, he didn't realize three-year-olds are more likely to break something like that than use it. He is also the source of many other things you own. He spoiled you."

She shook her head in disbelief. "This is unbelievable." she looked at us. "And you really are close to him. This is just wired, what's going on?" she asked again. "This cannot be real."

"Oh, it's real." Will said, smiling slightly. "And you might want to know, it's all real. Which means pretty soon here, either the government's going to come, or the Decepticons are. Possibly both." she looked frightened.

"But don't worry. That's why we're here." Optimus assured, on the Decepticon part.

"Partly." Bee added. Everyone turned to him and Optimus nodded.

"Yes, partly."

* * *

Again, uh. Really, was it small? Was it good? I'm at the point where it doesn't matter what story I write on, it takes a while and then it's not quite the same as when I first started it. I really think I need to cut down on my list of needed updates. Good news, I'm half-way finished with the next chapter for 'After Cybertron'. I know it's been a long while, and I apologize. But the majority of it was one-chapter fluff pieces, and now there is a sequel. There really wasn't much conflict until the end, but now I need to center it around the movie which is all conflict. It's kind of hard. And I want to try and get it on the right track, which so far it really doesn't have a track.

Next thing to come out is the one shot, hopefully. It might have two or three chapters, but I doubt it. And if I get sidetracked and update another before I get the one shot out, then you can yell at me. I'll probably yell at myself if this happens.

R&R


	11. Chapter 11

Hey, sorry for the long wait. Check out my new poll, I can't update 'After Cybertron' until people vote on it.

I know it's been a while, but I'm back. =.) And I'm ready to update. Hope you like it.

**I've recently fixed this chapter and apologize for all the mistakes in it. I was honestly in so much of a hurry I misspelled the simplest words. I'm not actually that bad. Thanks for not commenting on it.**

* * *

Annabelle stared at the three of us, obviously wondering what 'partly' meant, but didn't ask. After a moment, Will spoke.

"What time is it?"

"Four." Optimus replied.

"Alright, we have a little bit of time before Sarah comes home." he mused. "Tell us how you've been." he insisted.

"We haven't had much luck on tracking Megatron." they had been kicked off Earth a year, almost, after the battle of Egypt and we hadn't seen anything of the Decepticons since. "But we have found individual groups of Decepticons. Most of which had never been on Earth."

"But how have _you_ been?" he asked.

Optimus sighed. "Aside from Bumblebee staying depressed, we all missed you guys. I don't think much time went between the times we each missed Earth, since don't measure time the same on the Ark."

"But it was great to see the others who we hadn't seen since before landing." Bee added, trying to lighten the subject.

"That's nice." Will nodded. There was silence for a moment and I felt Bee's curiosity peak. I glanced up at him to see him looking to Will.

"What have you all been doing?" he asked. Will scratched the back of his head, looking away.

"Well, I've been successful of keeping Annie to know and we've just been living normally, well, I haven't worked. Got enough money when NEST shut down. But Sam, well." he looked up at Optimus before turning to Bee. I remained perfectly content to just sit here, still radiating with happiness to be here again.

"Sam fled his family after about half a year. Since then, he's been living in the base. Only a few days ago I made him stay at my house, he still kept in touch with me. But actually, I thought he was doing well. Well, kind of." he shrugged. Bee shifted me in my spot in his hands in his lap. He looked worriedly down at me, I stayed silent.

"You didn't have to. You should have stayed." he objected.

I shook my head. "I couldn't. I wanted to stay at the base. And mom was worrying. She thought I'd eventually get better, but I wasn't. If she, and dad, realized I would stay like that for longer than any normal life time, they would have gotten unnecessarily upset. And then, I wouldn't have been able to handle it if they got upset with you guys, 'cause it wouldn't be hard to realize it had something to do with you."

"They whole 'not aging for twenty years' thing!" Annabelle realized. Will was willing to wait patiently, knowing we were going to wait until Sarah came home, but his daughter wanted to know. "What happened? I take it there is a reason."

I nodded, "Wait until your mom comes home. It's easier." She frowned, but complied. I suddenly realized the effects are real too. I'd been too overjoyed with their being here to care about the Decepticons, the government's reaction to their being here, and their reaction to my youth. Well, and my living state. I did kinda drop off the face of the earth.

"Fine. But, no. I still don't believe this all." she shook her head. I smiled.

"Yeah know, Sam and Mikayla both took it loads better than you." her dad mused. She glared at him. He smirked. "No, really. Sam first seen an Autobot, or Decepticon, chasing Bumblebee thinking someone was stealing his new car. He watched him transform in a junkyard and freaked out, calling the cops. But he'd only seen him, no forewarning. No talking, no explanation. Then the first time he actually met a Cybertronian, kind of, was when Mikayla first seen a Cybertronian. When he saved them from a Decepticon named Barricade. He watched them fight, still no explanation. And then they actually met the Autobots in an ally."

"And they took it quite well by then. Sam quickly stepped forward to help us." Optimus smiled. I did the same.

"I expected more from the daughter of a Lennox." Bee shook his head teasingly. She turned her glare to him; you know you're comfortable with the Autobots when you can glare at them. Which usually happens quickly.

It didn't seem like we were actually talking all that much, trying to avoid what we knew we had to wait for, but evidently the pauses in between had been enough to push our conversation for thirty minutes. 'Cause we were all surprised when we heard the motorcycle come up. I suspect Sarah took it because she didn't need to carry much and left the truck for anyone who might need to go somewhere, like the grocery store.

We all looked, again, toward the garage on the other side of the house. After a moment, the engine cut and Will decided we didn't have to scare someone else. He stood and smiled to us weakly, we watched as he went around and waited. After a moment, there was a rather loud scream.

We all looked back to the way he had disappeared to see him holding her in place. She was staring wide eyed at Optimus and Bee, shocked. But then, strangely, she straightened up and calmed down, just staring at the two regularly.

"What in the world is going on?" she asked, calmly.

"The Autobots are here. This is Optimus, as you know. And Bumblebee-" she looked at Bumblebee again, recognizing him from the picture thing I had. She noticed me and smiled, enjoying seeing me happy. No matter the circumstances.

"Ok, aren't you, uh, not supposed to be here?" ok. Yeah. She really is the perfect match for Will. How could she be so calm and relaxed now after just screaming her head off? I glanced at Bee and Optimus, they were confused too. Will had a fond smile and Annabelle was skeptical.

"Yes, but we've spotted Decepticons heading this direction. We figured they were probably aiming here, to finish off the last grudge keeping them here." Optimus glanced at me and Sarah smiled at how happy I was again, could my happiness have anything to do with her quick change in reaction?

"Alright, that wouldn't be a good thing. But you do know even if you hide your being here from the government, you won't be able to hide another battle. They'll know it was you as soon as they see the wreckage." she paused, then sat up. "Who else is here? Is it just you two?"

"Yes." Bee nodded. "But others are coming. Including Ratchet and probably Ironhide." she smiled happily. From what little we'd told her, she wanted to meet him. "I don't know about Arcee, but I would think so." he added, knowing they'd be good friends. Arcee had been a good friend of Mikayla, while Ironhide was Wills friend. Then, of course, I had Bee and Leo seemed to hit it off with the twins, Skids and Mudflap.

Speaking of twins, I always wanted to meet Sunstreaker. Though everyone had always warned it was best not to have them both, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, together around people that could easily distrust them. Not me, of course, but they also said I should feel lucky not to know the Sunny & Sides duo. With the stories told, I'm also glad. Actually, I'll be happy to see them together. Wow, talk about change of topic. I remembered Bee saying I looked tiered earlier. Maybe I kinda am. No, I'm fine.

"Hey, about Sam," she started. Optimus sighed, knowing what was coming next. Bee and I stayed quiet; he never said we would have to say a thing.

"Yes, we were waiting or you before we explained why Sam hasn't aged. Now, please keep an open mind as I explain. It seems I won't be getting much help." He glanced at us, we shook our heads simultaneously. He sighed and the other two suppressed laughs. Bee shifted me closer and I leaned back, relaxing.

Optimus turned back to the other two, pausing. I honestly had no idea what was going to happen.

"Alright, it was an accident, I assure you. Bumblebee had done it subconsciously, knowing he would miss Sam so much. He'd made a link. It connects the two at the sparks. They can share emotions, and many other things come with the link other than that, but that isn't the important part." he paused. Most of it actually related to what the link was, and they don't exactly know what that is yet.

"So, what is the important part?" Will asked.

"The link. There are many different kinds of links. This link, uh, is one that is actually normally, er, frowned upon with us." they watched confused. "It's called the pet link." they stared at him for a moment, then turned to look at us. I shifted backwards and Bee held me closer. They all stared, then after a minute Annabelle shook her head and put it back in her hands. Sarah remained quiet as Will snapped out of it.

"What?" he asked. "What?"

"It's the pet link, so," Bee decided to give in and help Optimus out. How do you explain this to someone without them freaking out? I now see Bee's problem earlier. "It can be severed, but it won't happen."

"What?" he repeated. Maybe he hadn't snapped out of it.

"That's why Sam hasn't aged. This link made it so Sam can't die until, well multiple things, except the only one that will, hopefully, happen is when Bumblebee's spark eventually goes out." Optimus said. Others, I could probably guess. I only realized I was learning more about the link with them, shouldn't I already know this stuff? Well, I would have if I asked. Yet I didn't, because I don't care too much. At least, not the discouraging parts.

"What other ways?" Sarah asked cautiously.

"Well, one can always be murdered. But we all know under Bumblebee's protection, that's very unlikely. Even with how much we all care for him and the Decepticons grudge against him." They want to hurt me to get to the Autobots, and I did kill their leader along with finding the object they'd been searching for centuries within three days. And I brought their worst enemy back to life after finally killing him, which resulted in their downfall. Yeah, I'm pretty high up there on their hit list.

"And?" Will asked, Annabelle was still looking at her lap, taking it the worst having not known Bee and I as long as her dad, and not quite as, uh, _quick_, as her mother.

"First, know that the link has in the past only been used by Decepticons, who had suppressed the parts like the emotion part. And remember how much Bumblebee cares for Sam."

"Let me guess, it's another part of the link." Will said calmly. I'm not sure if he's ok with it or not. Actually, I don't think he knows if he's ok with this or not.

"Yes. Bumblebee is given direct access to the boy's spark, which means stopping it isn't the only thing he can do there. Should Sam get injured so that his heart can no longer sustain him," he seemed to remember I was human and had a heart, not a spark. "Bumblebee can pull his life force out so he lives of Bumblebee's spark too. And, he can keep the boy's heart beating if it struggles, or keep him conscious should he faint."Isn't that more to do with my brain? Oh well.

They nodded slowly. "What else? This is just too weird." Will sighed and leaned back, seeming to decide he trusted Bumblebee enough to be alright with it. Sarah looked at him and back to us, deciding she trusted her husband's judgment.

"What?" Annabelle interrupted, looking at them both. "You seriously accept this so easily? He's a freakin pet!"

"Uh, yeah." her dad looked uncomfortable being the one to get his daughter to understand. "Bumblebee will take good care of him, he has in the past." He hesitated, yet no one came to his rescue. "And Sam trusts Bumblebee greatly. If neither of them have a problem, if Optimus doesn't even have a problem you know it's alright." Annabelle just stared at him skeptically. He stared back, the sighed. "You were so much easier when you were three."

"Well, I'm not. And I'm still confused on how you can just sit back and say, 'Oh, hey, that kid's a giant, alien, robot's pet. Cool.' Yeah, ok, maybe there really isn't anything bad about it, but what the heck?" she ranted. Well, at least she knows it isn't.

"Annie, just, how about you wait to save your judgment until you watch them for a little while?" her mother suggested. She stared at said woman for a moment before sighing and looking to us. I yawned, it was only about five, yet I was quite tired. It's strange.

Bee shifted me and I was closer to lying down than sitting now. She watched and sighed again when we were still again. She turned back to her parents, glancing between them.

"Yeah, alright." she said quietly, agreeing to hold off on her judgment for a little while. Everyone smiled, happy with her decision.

"Good, now, as long as we're done here, I have tests to grade." Sarah glanced to her over-sized purse, which she had secured to the back of the motorcycle when driving. I knew there was more everyone wanted to discuss, but I also knew it was best to leave it at that for now. We could all do with a break from our reunion, at least, they all do. I just need to sleep. I'm not going to complain, cause if I take a short nap now, then I'll stay up longer with these two later. When it really counts.

"Goodbye." We all looked to Annabelle quickly as she bolted to the back door, eager to get away from what was surely impossible yet here. After half a second, we recovered.

"Uh, she'll come around." Will tried, scratching his head.

"She is a Lennox." Optimus agreed. "And if she's anything like her mother-" he started, again getting that lost look we all had when Sarah had changed her position so quickly.

"She'd have already accepted everything and was wondering when she could meet Ironhide." Will said, shooting the same look Optimus wore to his wife, who sat staring up at Optimus ignorantly. I'm sure I had the look to; how does someone do that? Is it even possible, or is she going to explode later?

"Yeah know, I hope whoever gets here first, whether it be the Decepticons or the government, I hope they can hold off for a while." Sarah started, standing up and lifting her bag. "At least until the others get here. I'd like to meet them without it being in the middle of a battle, or under the disappointed eye of the suits." I stared at her. I've only really heard NEST use that term, it was part of their slang.

"Will? You're a bad influence." I turned to him. He looked confused at first, then realized what I was talking about. "I thought that slang died with the division."

"Naw," he shook his head, joining his wife. "It's still up and going. Which brings me to think, are the Epps' going to be told?"

"I think it's for the best. We need as much allies as possible, and former NEST members are our best option. Besides, it would be nice to see him again too." Optimus smiled. Will nodded. His wife waved and headed indoors, he glanced after her. "Well, everyone else is going in, I'm sure I'll find something to do with them." he said, shrugging. "Maybe I'll go 'help' Sarah." I heard him mutter, I rolled my eyes. He walked after them and I marveled at how quickly everyone had left. Well, everyone of the Lennox's. I doubt I'll really ever be anywhere without some sort of Cybertronian again. Let's just hope it'll always be an Autobot.

"It seems it's just the tree of us." Optimus sighed, glancing at us. He noticed my drooping eyes too and smiled. "Or just Bumblebee and I. When did you wake up?" he asked me.

"Around seven." I replied, remembering earlier today when I was at the base I had thought that since I had slept about eleven hours I wouldn't be tired for a long while. Yet here I was now, ready for a short, hopefully, nap. My excuse for sleeping so long was my body taking advantage of my strange relaxation and catching up on some rest. Now, if I go along the same lines, now that I'm completely relaxed and everything, my body would want to take advantage again. After all, I had spent twenty years all stressed and mourning, and I need to relax farther than I am already, if it's possible. At least, it's a theory.

I glanced up at Bee, remembering the 'strange' relaxation last night. "Just ask Bee." He smiled like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar. I glanced at Optimus, he was shaking his head, he had known. I decided not to bring it up as an issue, I appreciated it. I did need the sleep, and any contact with Bee, conscious or not, or better, partly conscious, is best sooner. And I knew Optimus wanted to speak with me before Bee got to me, so I knew he couldn't reveal himself.

Really what it came down to was; which is worse? Knowing Bee had found me last night and not woken me or anything, or just him not even being here today at all? Honestly, I'd rather be grateful for what I have. Cheesy as it is, it's true, and what I have is wonderful.

"Why don't we return to the base for now?" Optimus suggested after a minute. "We can return later. There's less of a chance of the government somehow finding us if we remain indoors." with my mind half off, I pictured a conspiracy kid when he said that. He looked a lot like Leo, and he had on a foil hat. I chuckled quietly, they looked at me questioningly.

"It's a conspiracy." I said tiredly. They smiled, matching his words to my image.

"Go to sleep Sam." Optimus shook his head.

"You're the one that said it, not me." I said, rolling over and situating myself close to Bee's spark after they stood. They hesitated, then Bee sighed.

"Driving is out of the question." he said, though I knew he was smiling. He couldn't put me down to transform like this, and I wasn't about to move, or stand for that matter.

"Darn right." I muttered as he started to walk. I didn't hear any response, whether it be they didn't respond, or I was already gone. But, in my defense, if I fell asleep now, I'd wake sooner. It's common sense. But, then again, if a few hours' night sleep was turned into eleven hours, a nap could go from about an hour to a couple, and not a few-couple. A lot-couple.

* * *

Hey, I know there are allot of spelling mistakes, but I didn't have time to spell check and I wanted to give you guys something before I left. R&R, I got to go.


	12. Chapter 12

Again, sorry for the long wait. I really do feel guilty about it. You probably don't want to hear all my apologizing, but if you actually take the time to read this in the first place, then you probably shouldn't complain since you could just skip all this.

**Don't skip this: **Just in this fic, pretend Jazz either never died, or they had a third shard that brought Jazz back. In most of my other ones, I had to leave him as Michal Bay had him after the first movie, but in this one let's just say he didn't die, because he shouldn't have.

Hope you like it.

* * *

I woke up early, I don't know how I knew. It must be because I'm not used to getting up so early, no matter how long I slept. So I was kinda torn between trying to go back to sleep, because of the hour, and getting up, because I wasn't real tired.

I suddenly realized there was actually a reason I was awake and thinking about being awake.

"Get up!" I heard a familiar voice say. I became more aware of my surroundings as the large hand that had been over me shifted and the other joined it, covering me completely.

"Go away." Bee complained, sounding as if he'd woken about the same time I did.

"Fine, don't greet us." I heard him walk away and frowned. Hu? Greet us? As in, they just got here? They got here a few days ago, Optimus and Bee. Bee's here, and- wait. That wasn't Optimus.

As soon as he shifted his hands again, letting me go somewhat, I sat bolted up right.

"Sam, what?" Bee came more aware, seeming to feel my alert through the link. I had to be fully awake, to remember the link. I'd really not given it enough thought yesterday for it to be even one of the first hundred things I remember in the morning.

"Others have arrived." I realized.

"Yeah, it's just Ironhide and a few others probably." He said, confused on why I was suddenly so awake. I stared up at him and he woke up completely. "Oh." He shifted his hands to lift me up before he sat and then stood.

"Come on." I urged, burrowing deeper in his hold and practically bouncing. "Come on, come on!" I could feel amusement coming from him and he moved me up to his shoulder.

"They may be back, but I'm still not handing you over." he said, finally starting toward the door. I smiled at him and looked forward again.

As soon as we entered the main room, everyone crowded around us.

"Sam, we all missed you so much."

"It's good to see our favorite human's still here, exactly as we left him."

"Are you alright? Optimus tells us what you've been doing these past few years."

I couldn't tell who said what, but I knew it was Optimus who made everyone calm down and 'let the mech and his human breath'.

"Now, as you can see, Samuel is alright." Optimus said. "There's no need to suffocate him just after we got him back."

"So," Ironhide started, "You really have no problem with what Bumblebee did?" he asked me.

"No, not at all. I'm not concerned with that when you guys are back." I replied honestly.

"Good," Ratchet stepped forward, "Then I don't suppose _you'll_ let me check the boy." he addressed Bee and I remember it being said that Ratchet would want to check me over when he got here.

Bee eyed the mech momentarily and I could feel across the link that he was quite hesitant. Never the less, he handed me over and was taken into conversation by the others; Ironhide, Arcee, and Jazz.

"You've been taking good care of yourself, I expect?" Ratchet asked me. I looked up at him.

"Well, I haven't broken any bones, if that means anything." I said. He smiled.

"Good, you're alright at the moment." He said. "And I expect the other three are just as healthy." Before he could say anything else, I was taken back by Bee and I heard Jazz laughing.

"Afraid you wouldn't get him back?" Ironhide asked.

"No, I was afraid you'd take him first." Bee answered.

"Ah, that's aside the point." he said quickly.

"Bumblebee?" I looked over at Arcee as Bee set me back on his shoulder. "You aren't going to be hogging him for the next decade, are you?" I smiled from where I sat.

"Why can't he?" I asked.

"Because then we won't let him have you." Jazz said.

"Go ahead and try." Bee challenged, but before anything could come of it, Optimus stepped in.

"I believe we have a few other humans waiting for us." he hinted. "We should return to the Lennox house, they don't know you four are here."

I noticed how everyone's minds seemed to change, immediately seeing the other human they all had befriended and come to trust, along with his wife and kid, became the most important thing. I also noticed how Ironhide looked hopeful and hesitant.

"Come on, it's already ten." Arcee ran out and transformed as soon as she passed the door. Everyone hurried after her, and Bee took his time setting me down and transforming.

I climbed in, suspicious of his intentions. As soon as the door closed, Bee took off as fast as he could go, weaving in and out of the trees. I laughed, no having gotten in any sort of vehicle much these past 'few' years, let alone one that enjoys tripling the speed limit. I don't think the forest has a speed limit, but if it did, I don't think it was, I checked the speed-o-meter, 100mph. Wait, wait... he went down to 96 for a second there.

"Bee, you better hope the forest gets thicker quickly." I said, smiling as he made a sharp dip left to avoid a particularly large tree. We'd already past Jazz and Ratchet was to our right.

"I can stop as fast as I can start." he replied. I smiled wider. Everything is so simple right now, but it just makes me so happy.

We reached the Lennox house quickly, everyone transformed as waited, figuring either they'd realize we were here, or I'd go in and drag them out. I stepped out of Bee's cab and he transformed. He lifted me up and glanced at the others.

"Uh, are they here?" they would have noticed us by now if they were. It's not hard to miss six giant alien robots in your back yard. The, their transforming isn't exactly silent, they would have heard that, if they hadn't heard us pull up.

"I detect only William is here, he is sitting in his room." Ratchet said. Without another word, Bee walked over to where everyone knew was their room, remembering it from the many 'parties' thrown here, though they were always using their holoforms.

He held me to the window and I cupped my hands before looking in to block out the glare. Sure enough, Will sat in his room, at his desk. He was at the computer, but the screen saver was up so I couldn't see what he was doing. I rasped on the window carefully, he didn't move.

I knocked again, nothing. I glanced back.

"Are you sure he's alive?" I asked.

"He is." Ratchet said, ignoring the fact it was a joke. I looked back to the window. Then, why is he just sitting at the computer? I knocked again and waited a few seconds.

Then, he moved. Only, he seemed to kind of roll over in the chair, and then fall out of it. Half a second later, he was on his feet and looking around in surprise.

I knocked again and he looked at the window. I waved. He yawned and walked over to open the window.

"What are you doing here so early?" he asked, his voice proving my suspicions that he'd been asleep.

"Will, it's ten thirty." Bee said. Will looked at his wrist, realized he wasn't wearing a watch, and looked at the alarm clock by his bed, yawning again. His eyes widened and he was suddenly more awake.

"What? Shoot, I missed them." He glanced at the door. 'Them', I bet, referred to his wife and daughter.

"You're getting old, Lennox." Ironhide joked and Will whirled around. Bee pulled me back away from the window as Will leaned half out and around to his left to find Ironhide.

"You, mech. Shut up. Does it look like I couldn't still take a Decepticon down? And you're one to talk, you're ancient, by Earth standards."

"And what does that make me?" Optimus asked, smiling.

"Super ancient." he withdrew and started grumbling. "Ten o'clock, they have no decency." I heard. Moments later, his top half reappeared leaning out the window again, wearing new cloths. I suddenly realized the others were what he'd worn yesterday.

"If you still think you're my favorite after twenty years, you've got a lot coming." he warned Ironhide.

"Who else could be your favorite Autobot, Lennox?" Ironhide asked.

"He's right Will." Arcee said. "You two are like twins."

"Do I look that big?" Will asked. I laughed. This was Will's way of being ecstatic at seeing his old best friend again. Said old friend decided to take that as an insult and plucked the ex-NEST member from the window by the back of his shirt.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Will grinned, hanging in mid air like he was used to it. It was starting to strain him though. He really was getting older.

"Well, you're just jealous of these." Ironhide dropped Will on the ground a few feet up and revealed his cannons.

"Upgrade?" Will asked.

"You bet. Just finished 'em last year." Ironhide grinned.

"Well, my guns aren't getting any better." Will pulled up his sleeve and flexed, revealing his 'guns'. He's still really fit for his age. Honestly, he's not too much different than when he helped found NEST.

"Well, if you two are doe figuring out who's the dominant male here," Arcee rolled her optics and I laughed again. "I'd like to know where Sara and Annabelle are." I wasn't the only one not to miss Ironhide watch Will eagerly then.

"Well, they both kinda have a job. They'll be home at around four. Can't live off the money I got from NEST." he said.

"Uh, I have one question." Ratchet started. Will looked up at him, waiting for it.

"What?"

"Why were you asleep at your monitor?" he asked.

"Oh, I was talking to Bobby." he replied. "The government's got a tap on our phones and I can't doubt that they're watching what we're doing on the internet too. But, I decided to tell him to come over and bring his family via email. Less likely they'd get suspicious." he said, glancing up at the window he'd come out of. "I was also contacting a few other former soldiers we knew. Telling them to stand by, that they might be needed again."

"Ah, when should they get here?" Optimus asked.

"Oh, sometime today. They live all the way out in Montana, moved there tree years ago."

"Good, how are they?"

"Oh fine. Their oldest, Shareeka, she's a year younger than Annie yeah know." he said, starting small talk.

"Yes, I remember when he took off the time when she was first born." Jazz nodded.

"Didn't they have another girl? Shaniqua?" Bee asked.

"Yeah, and then another, Sheleeka, and another Mozambiqua. Sheleeka is sixteen and Mozambiqua is fifteen." Will said. "And a thirteen year-old boy, Fred." I couldn't help it. I laughed. Bee was just as amused, and Will looked it.

"Well, I can't wait to meet them." Arcee commented, smiling.

I shook my head. Bunch of giant, super powerful, alien robots having small talk with a forty-some year old man. Ridiculous.

"Well, Sheleeka and Annie are good friends. Shaniqua's graduating collage this year, and Mozambiqua is a techy. Never leaves her laptop anywhere, though she aint a nerd."

"What about Fred?" Ratchet asked.

"Oh, well, he's big on his roller blades. He knows more about current music than I did about music back in the day."

"By 'back in the day' you mean..." Jazz hinted.

"Twenty-one years ago." he said.

"Ah." Jazz replied, sounding as if he were only musing Lennox.

"Ok, as much as I'd love staying out here to talk to you all, I need breakfast." Will said, turning toward the back door.

"If you wait an hour, it'll be lunch time." Bee said, confused.

"Yeah, well, that's in an hour. And I'm pretty sure Sara wants me to finish her Eggos." He walked inside and opened the window before disappearing completely.

"How much you want to bet she'll slag him when she finds out he ate her toaster-food?" Ironhide asked.

"Clean-up duty with Wheeljack when we get back on the Ark." Jazz said quickly.

"You're on-" there was a ring inside and I heard something fall before the ringing stopped.

"Hello?" Will greeted into the receiver. There was a pause for about thirty seconds before he spoke again. "Great, about how long?"... "Alright, the girls shouldn't be home for a few hours. It'll just be me here. All alone." An even longer silence and he laughed. "Alright. See you guys." he hung up and walked out toward us before sticking his head out toward us and sticking his head out the window.

"The Epps will be here soon. I'd suggest that if you don't want the government, the Decepticons, and everyone in China to know you're here, that you stay in your alt forms until the civilian family knows you're the good guys."

* * *

I know, not much happening at all. But, hey. It's an update and it keeps the plot going. I've been hesitant with this story, wondering how to go on, but I think I know what I'm going to do now.

Just so you know, I didn't make up Robert Epps's family's names, I got them from Transformers Wiki. He and his wife, Monique, have a page there, and their kids are mentioned, but they don't have pages.

I also did some research on where the Lennox's might live in this story and decided they live somewhere in the forests of Maine. There seems to be enough to hide the base, because obviously they have to live near there, but don't ask me where. I tried to find a good forest to give a name to it, but that didn't end well. Though, I did find out there are two planetariums there, and since I had Annie get a major in astronomy, she works at one of those.

Things will happen, enemies will come, and the government will get in the way again. Not to mention, things will blow up. Just be patient, and extra patient because I can't seem to ever update on time. Again, sorry. There will be another update for my stories before I go again, but there's no promises what it will be for. I want to update 'Sam 'All Spark' Witwicky' but I've got writers block with that story and I'm kinda afraid that if I try for that one, or 'After Cybertron', I might not have enough time to update. So, expect it to probably be another one for 'Lies, or Just not the Whole Truth?'

R&R


	13. Chapter 13

Here's the update. Obviously. Alright, I truly do try and I put my stories through spell check. I do, I just, really don't have the best spell check in the world. I re-read them sometimes, and I still miss stuff. A lot of stuff obviously. One of these days, I'm going to go through every chapter in every one of my stories, re-read, and re-spell check them. Someday. And then, you can go and read them again and they'll almost be like reading new stories.

Hope you like it.

* * *

Bee sighed before setting me down.

"Alright, that was fast." Jazz mused.

"I emailed them last night, my boy Epps knows how to move quickly." Lennox grinned as they all transformed. Bee opened the door for me and I sat in the driver's side, feet sticking out.

"Hope he can move faster than you." I grumbled. He pointed at me, waving his hand slightly without speaking before turning back around and going to pick up whatever he'd dropped and making brunch.

"How will you know if the Decepticons land?" I asked.

"The others are still on the Ark, keeping an optic out." Optimus said over the comm. It's easier to talk that way when they're in their alt forms, and less weird. "And, we're all here watching out for the only reason I can think of that they'd return."

"They better hope they don't go after him." Bee said from around me.

"I hope we can get some warning before they attack." Ironhide said. "So we can get more former NEST members here in time. It'd be just like before."

"Except Sam is legally dead, and we're here illegally." Jazz pointed out.

"Ah, the government wouldn't attack us or anything." Arcee brushed it off. "The only ones qualified to kill us are on our side, for the most part." We all knew a few NEST members had their main loyalty to the government and would attack us if they were told to do so, though most know attacking the Autobots would be wrong and would refuse.

"Never the less, we should figure this all out and, should the Decepticons find a reason they want to stay here, we need to make them forget it and leave as soon as possible." Optimus cut in. "We still aren't here with the governments of the worlds' permission."

"They don't have any more a claim to this planet than us civilians." I objected. "Just because some nerds in suits decide you can't be here doesn't mean that's what the world wants."

"Yes, but most of the world doesn't know of us." Ratchet reminded. "And those who do aren't enough, they're mostly 'nerds in suits'." he quoted me.

"Well, there are five civilians that knew of us at the time." Jazz pointed out. "None of them wore suits, nor were they nerds."

"Well, Leo I'm not too sure about. The nerd part at least." Ironhide joked. "And one of those five humans wouldn't be allowed to vote anyways. His opinion is too bias."

"Thanks so much." I rolled my eyes.

"But he's right. Even if, for some reason, we did turn out to be the bad guys and our intentions were no longer for the greater good," Optimus paused, "You would still side with us. You wouldn't believe this and would remain convinced that we are good."

"That's because it's impossible. Why would you guys turn bad?" I asked, turning to lean back in the seat. Bee left the door open.

"Exactly. We could be evil right now and you could be in denial." Jazz jumped in.

"Are you evil?" I asked.

"I'm not, I'm not sure about the others..." Arcee trailed off.

"I am." Bee shut and locked the door. I laughed.

"Alright. If you guys were evil, would it matter if I was in denial? I wouldn't have a chance to vote on whether or not you guys stayed on the planet, because I would either A, be dead, or B, be held prisoner."

"If we did turn evil, I would think B is more likely." Arcee laughed.

"Yes, given the situation." Ratchet agreed.

"Actually, I don't think we have to be evil for plan B to work." Jazz mused.

"It would be easy. Most of the world has already declared him dead." Arcee added.

"We have enough motive. Wait until night when everyone's asleep, or now while only Will's here?"

"I vote now." Bee said seriously.

"Well, now that you're all ready to kidnap me and hold me prisoner," I started, "weren't we talking about something?"

"About the government reacting to our being here." Optimus said, obviously amused.

"Right." I said slowly, trying to backtrack the conversation and figure out how they got to the specifics of kidnapping me. "So, they're going to freak out, yell a bit, and throw you off planet again."

"But no real damage." Arcee agreed, holding to what she said earlier.

"They can't actually be so cruel." I objected yet again. "Or they shouldn't. You're here for good reason. One, the Decepticons might come back and where would we be without you guys?"

"Should you really be considered one of them in this situation?" Ratchet asked.

"Two, Bumblebee wanted his human."

"Well, yes. Because without you guys in the scenario, I _am_ one of them." I pointed out, ignoring Jazz.

"Wait. Are we talking about us just never showing up, or we left and decided to just leave saving the world up to the humans?" Ironhide asked.

"Uh, the first one, I think." I replied.

"Ok, then, without us, you would be dead, the Decepticons would have gotten the glasses, and Mikayla would still have been a normal teenage girl, until Megatron got the Cube and destroyed Earth."

"Are you taking Will's team, who were prepared to fight regardless of us, into consideration?" Jazz asked.

"Ok, then, without us and Lennox's team up and going, Sam would be dead, the Decepticons would have gotten the glasses, Mikayla would still have been a normal teenage girl, until Megatron got the Cube and destroyed Earth, and one or two Decepticons would be dead." he revised his sentence.

"What about the second option? What if we just didn't help?" Bee asked. How did we get here? Talking about other possible courses life could have taken?

"Uh, did we come to Earth and watch it happen, did we do some of it and just stop, or what?" Ironhide asked.

"We did all that happened up until Sector Seven came. Then we turned evil." Optimus was even getting in on it. Well, if it passes time...

"Alright, hmm," Ironhide somehow became an expert on something other than weapons. "Let's see. Bee kidnaps Sam, I still can't see us helping the Decepticons, so we continue to pursue the All Spark for alternative motives. We are not delayed by Bumblebee, Samuel, and Mikayla getting captured, so we get there quicker. We fight our way to the All Spark, take it, kill Megatron while he's frozen. Since that runt Frenzy couldn't hitch-hike a ride in Mikayla's purse and they didn't get the glasses, they wouldn't be able to get there and melt him. The Decepticons hide like the wimps they are, and we take over wherever we set out to rule."

"I don't like that one." Arcee said.

"Me neither." Jazz agreed. "How about, what if we were just a bit more ruthless, but still the good guys?"

"Ah, ok, we kidnap Sam and Mikayla before S-7 gets them, along with the glasses, we head out to the Hoover Dam, still not delayed by the capturing, and we force our ways to the Cube. I think as long as we were trying to prevent Earth's destruction, Lennox's team would help us. We kill Megatron while he's frozen, and dump the kids back in Tranquility before leaving Earth."

"I don't like that one either." Bee said. I could tell that through the link, it's just as bad as the last to him. Three guesses why.

"I have one." A voice sounded through the passenger window and I jumped, turning to find Will standing there with a grin on his face. Bee opened the passenger door and Will sat, one leg still outside. My door was still locked. "You guys turn evil now."

"I can do that one." Bee said, Ironhide stayed quiet and let him do so.

"Wait. How evil? Decepticon evil or-"

"Naw, just, you're not going to stay here, out of your way, to protect a planet that hates you."

"Then, now, we'd dump you here, I'd take Sam, and we'd leave. Then, either the Decepticons would come and destroy the planet for some reason, or they'd follow us because I have Sam."

"Having second thoughts Lennox?" Ironhide teased.

"Yes. I'm starting to think the Autobots are evil. Don't tell them though. Especially that black one. He's got to be ruthless." Will said in a fake hushed voice.

"Yeah, we'll be sure to keep that a secret." Arcee said, practically rolling her optics.

"So you guys are just sitting out here, making up scenarios?" Will asked. "You have no life."

"No, actually. We don't." Ratchet said. "All we can really do is sit here and talk until either your family or the Epps's arrive. That, or either the Decepticons or the government."

"Why don't we do another?" Jazz suggested. "Optimus, you choose it this time."

He paused before coming up with one. "We decided we didn't care what the government says and we stay with the humans here that wanted us to say."

Everyone was silent for a moment before I did this one.

"Bee freaks out about this link before telling me allot sooner, the government gives us all the silent treatment and stops funding NEST, so most everyone quits for not getting a pay, and my parents freak out after five years and realizing I'm not aging. Annabelle grows up knowing about Ironhide, and the rest of you, and I bet Sara would have met you eventually, once the government gave us the cold shoulder and the 'no telling civilians that don't already know' ruled bombs."

"The Decepticons continue attacking this planet, but only to get to us all," Arcee helped out.

"And Leo and Mikayla join the small group of volunteers still fighting the Decepticons with us." Jazz continued it.

"The world eventually becomes aware of our presence, probably due to a Decepticon attack the government isn't willing to cover up," Ironhide kept it going.

"And they also realize the human we all seem so fond of isn't aging. They freak out." Bee added.

"We hide Sam for his own protection on the base until everyone calms down and realizes we're still the good guys and that Sam is alright with what has happened." Ratchet started the end.

"And after a total of twenty years, we're all here in my back yard, with more Autobots here, and Sideswipe grumbling about the public being so annoying." Will concluded.

"I like this one." Optimus said, smile clear in his voice.

"I do too." Ratchet agreed. We were all silent for a moment, then Will spoke again.

"Alright, what's the worst thing that could have gone wrong?" he asked.

"Samuel did not come back, so he is unable to bring Optimus back, who in turn could not defeat The Fallen and the Solar Harvester is activated and we all die." Arcee replied.

"Oh, that's not that bad." I objected. "Or, that's not the worst. There are other ways the world could have been destroyed with the Decepticons winning."

"Like what?" Ratchet challenged.

"Well, Barricade could have gotten to me before Bee did, taken the glasses, and gotten to Megatron before you guys had a chance to defend anyone. Megatron get's the Cube, and we're all dead." I paused. "Or, at Tyger Pax, you could have failed at launching the All Spark off Cybertron before Megatron got to it, he would have used it to destroy you all, and eventually, he would have destroyed Earth along with every other inhabited planet in the universe."

"Point taken." he sighed.

"Alright, what about the best thing that could have happened that didn't?" Bee suggested, taking us away from the doom and gloom.

"Megatron died in the beginning of the war, the war ended with that, and all these many years later, Cybertron continues to prosper under Optimus's lead." I said. "Earth has absolutely no contact with Cybertron, because you guys are perfectly content on your own planet."

"I'm not sure that's the best." Bee argued.

"Alright, all the same, and Sam magically appears there with you one day, and everyone lives happily ever after." everyone was silent at Will's words for a long while. "What? Most of this stuff isn't even rational! Sam's magically appearing on a peaceful Cybertron is just about as likely as a peaceful Cybertron."

"Good point." Bee laughed a bit. "How about-" he was cut off as we all heard a non-Cybertronian vehicle pull up in front of the house. Will and I both stared toward the house for a minute, until we heard the door bell echo in the empty house.

"Alright, the Epps are here." Will grinned and stood up. "Hope you're up for seeing Bobby again, and his family."

"We can't wait." Optimus said. "It will be nice to renew a few more of the friendships we left behind."

"I'll be right back." He said, shutting Bee's door out of habit and jogging through the back door. He was out of sight before anything else was said.

"Best way this could turn out:" I started, "The government just gets annoyed, the Decepticons completely by-pass Earth, and we leave without causing real damage."

"Worst way: The government gets angry and does everything they can to either get us to leave or kill us while completely unaware of the Decepticons' return, who have found another reason to stay here other than Sam." Jazz added in the same, low tone.

* * *

Bit longer than usual, I think. Hope it wasn't exceedingly boring, but, it's going to pick up. If you hadn't noticed. Bit of foresight, expectations starting, well, at least for me. I expect this to be at least somewhat good. I might've over done it with the 'scenario conversation', started to think that after a while. I actually cut off a few, like deleted scenes. Pretty boring, so you probably wouldn't mind me taking them out. But, I thought it would be interesting to get even Optimus pulled into it.

Well, I'm still going to give more updates, I promise. If you didn't read my first update, for 'After Cybertron', if I do post the stories mentioned in my poll, it won't be until summer, probably. Not for a while. I can't guarantee any of my current stories will be finished by then, though I hope to wrap this one up and start on the third.

R&R


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry it took so long. But, here it is. Spelling is terrible, I know, but I had not time for spell check. Will fix later. Hope you like it.

* * *

We all heard the front door open and close, many voices speaking at once. At first, I at least, didn't understand any of it. Then, things quieted down and I could hear Robert speak.

"Shareeka couldn't make it. She's with her huspand, and couldn't make it."

"Didn't they get married last year? Little early to be cutting herself off from the rest of the family, don't you think?" Will asked.

"Ah, we got four more." Monique shrugged. There was laughing and then someonce complained about getting hit.

"So, are you going to finaly tell us why you called us out here?" Bobby asked. There was silence for a moment and then something fell.

"Sorry." a younger male voice came.

Bee laughed slightly before we went back to listening.

"Yeah, well, we're having a bit of an emergency." Will said hesitently. "The, uh, enemy, has been spotted in the area. A few old friends of ours have contacted me recently." While most of them had no idea what he was talking about, Bobby caught on.

"Oh, well, are we sure the enemy is headed this way?" he asked seriously, trying not to give anything away.

"Ah, no, but it's highly suspected."

"What did our, friends, have to say? Only speaking about old times?"

"Well, no. Not exactly. Less like they called, more like, they stopped in." there was a pause before Epps replied.

"Oh, well, are they expected to be back, or did we miss them?"

"They're still here. It's kind of an emergency. They want to be sure the enemy doesn't come back." Will was struggling to say things unconspiciously. I knew the Epps family was confused right now.

"Ok, if this 'enemy' is in the area and these 'old friends' are here, then wouldn't this be buisness between you two? Why couldn't you just call him?" Monique asked.

"Well, it's not that easy." Bobby started, trying to explain to his wife.

"Yeah, they're kind of here illigaly."

"What? You two used to be soldiers, and you're housing illigal aliens?" Shaniqua asked.

"Well, in their deffence, the government was unfair." Will said quickly.

"But, they're still here illigaly. You could go to jail! They'll just get deported. Where do they come from?" She was completely off the trail.

"Uh, nowhere near here. So far away, it doesn't exist completely anymore." I shifted, thinking of Cybertron through the stories they'd told me. It used to be a very prosperous and functional planet. It saddens me, and I didn't even live there. To think of what they're thinking on the matter. Luckily, they spoke again quickly.

"In what demintion does that make sence?" She asked over exagerating.

"Shaniqua," Bobby sighed. "This is, just, over your head."

"Hey!" Mozambiqua objcted. I knew them, mostly their voices. Couldn't pick them out by face nearly as well as face. "We don't like being treated as kids."

"And you wont be." Will said suddenly.

"William-" Epps started warningly.

"There's a reason I called your whole family here. It's more than just our 'old friends' here. The boy's here. It's really serious, and I'll need you to stay out here for a while. Sara and Annabelle already know, and we need to get as many others here as possible. The government doesn't know yet, and the 'enemies' are surely on their way here. The 'friends' say they were headed direcly here."

"What more could the want? The big Cube thing's gone, so is the Pyramid of Destruction." Epps complained. "They've been gone for twenty years- wait. The boy? He disapeared. I thought eigther the enemies came back to off him or our old friends came back to kidnap him."

"Wait, so, now not only are they illigal aliens, but also kidnappers? How are they your friends? Where do you know them from? From when you were over seas?" Monique asked, getting annoyed.

"What's this?" Fred asked and the house went quiet from the interuption.

"That's called a book." Sheleeka said as if talking to a child. "People back in the seventeen-hundreds used to read them, instead of video games and TV."

"I know what a book is." the young boy rolled his eyes. "I mean, I've never heard of this one. I did a project on military books, and stuff like that, but I've never seen this symbol." through the window I could see Epps take it from him. "Hey!"

"Will, why do you have this laying around? Why do you even still have it?" He asked.

"I told you, Sara and Annabelle already know. I was showing it to them after the 'old friends' and the boy left to the base last night." Will sighed.

"What is it then?" Fred asked.

"It's the book of rules and oaths for initiation into NEST." Will said.

"What's that? I've seen the letters on one of Dad's T-shirts." Sheleeka piped up, getting more curious.

"William is certainly taking a long time." Ratchet spoke.

"I'll go help him out. Once they see me, there's no going back." I supplied.

"Are you sure? Will'll get 'em out here soon enough." Ironhide defended his partner.

"Yeah, while you hold onto your rabbit's foot," I reached for the door and realized the door was still locked. "Bee?"

"What? I did tell you I'd turned evil." he laughed slightly.

"Bumblebee, let him out. I also doubt Will's ability to get them ready and bring them out effeciantly." Optimus urged. Reluctantly, Bee unlocked the doors and I stepped out.

"I'll be right back." I swore, turning to the house. I heard the door shut behind me as I stepped up the single step onto the back porch. Not much of a porch, more like a door and a storage area for lawn chairs and what-not.

After looking through the window, I decided they were still argueing. Without hesitation, I walked in very smoothly.

"Honey, I'm home." I announced. They all turned to me. The back door opened into the back of the kitchen, which was connected to the living room and the front door with no wall. "What? Did you want me to pick up some dinner on my way?"

"So, the kid really is back?" Bobby stared in disbelief.

"Yeah. Funny thing that. So are the 'old friends'. Will wasn't lieing, the Decepticons are really, probably back. We really need to get ready." they stared at me.

"Did they send you in? I have this under control." Will insisted.

"Yes, it really sounded like it. Now, do you all remember Egypt?" I asked, facing the Epps family.

"No." Each of the kids said simultaniously.

"Of course you don't you were either not born, or too young." I turned to Monique.

"Uh, well, yes. Bobby fought there. It was a terrorist attack, wasn't it?" she asked. "Arent you..."

"Sam Witwicky. Yeah, I know. I got thecrazy parents that are still making people keep an eye out for me long after the police gave up. As you can see, I ran away for obvious reasons."

"So, you ran away. You didn't, you know, get kidnapped?" Bobby asked.

"Not like they didn't think about it. Or, Bee did at least." I shrugged.

"Bee?" Fred asked.

"Bumblebee, his guardian." WIll explained.

"Are you sure this is really-"

"Yes. Ok, the pyramids were actualy destroyed in a great alien battle." I explained. "Between good and evil. Evil being the 'enemies' and good being the 'old friends'. Ever wonder what your huspand did? He fought along side giant alien robots. Good guys, so don't freak out, and some of them are here. And, the bad guys, the Decepticons, are in the solar system and are expected to come here. They hate this planet and want every human on it to die. The Autobots are here to insure they do not succeed." I paused and looked at all their skeptic gazes and decided to wrap it up.

"There are only six of them out there. All good guys. None of them will hurt you as long as you behave. One might if you go after me, another if you, I don't know, start talking back and get too annoying. Another, don't challange him to anything. I think that's it, but otherwise they're all pretty nice."

"Avoid the one we call 'Ratchet'." Will hinted. Their eyes widened and Bobby hit him upside the head.

"Stop scaring them. Alright, if this is so much an emergency that Optimus lets this happen, then it must be bad. Come on." he sighed.

I spun in my place and opened the door again, walking out. "See Will? That wasn't so hard. I got them out here in about five minutes. How long were you talking to them before hand?" I asked, looking back.

"Shut up kid. I did the hard part." he rolled his eyes. I lead them all back over to the 'bots and stopped short.

Spinning yet again, I guestured to the largest of the vehicles. "Meet Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots." He transformed and nodded to them.

"It's good to see you again, Sergeant Epps." he greeted. "And it's pleasent to meet his family." They were still frozen and could not reply. I turned my whole body to move my extended my arm to the next in line.

"Jazz, first luetendent." He transformed and sat down.

"Hey." he nodded, not saying much else. Bobby grinned. He and Jazz had been nearly as good friends as 'Hide and Will.

"This guy's my partner." he supplied for backround information.

"Ratchet." I moved on. He stood and looked down at them.

"You are aware of the improperly banaged scar on your right arm?" He asked obviously to Fred, who wore long slieves. He snapped out of it and his left hand automaticly snapped to his right elbow.

"Were you out without your elbow-guards?" his mother asked, hitting him upside the head. He grimmised and I moved on.

"Arcee; stealth spy and scout."

"I'm Sara's partner." she smiled kindly. "Pleasure to meet you." Monique nodded, shooting a glare at her son. Her daughters were still straring with wide eyes.

"Ironhide; weapons specilist." I stepped away from both him and Will, figuring something was likely to happen.

"I have one question." he crouched down and stared at Epps' father. "Is he, or is he not, even worth challenging?"

"No, he's really out of shape." he laughed. "Ironhide is Will's partner. They're a lot alike. Only, Ironhide has more 'boom' to him."

"And last, but not least-" I cut them off and turned to Bee, finding he'd already transformed. He picked me up.

"Bumlebee; scout. Just a scout, but I'm also his guardian." He smiled, depositing me on his shoulder.

It was silent for a minute, then Sheleeka screamed. Mozambiqua hit her and she shut up. It was silent again.

* * *

I know it's full of mess ups, but again, I had about 0 minutes to spell check. Will fix later. R&R


	15. Chapter 15

Sorry about the long wait, if feels like I say that every time. Nevertheless, it's here. Yay. Reviewers: If you've reviewed and told me of my grammar and spelling mistakes, I did take note. I am going to take one weekend, or day, or couple of days, to fix them all. Hopefully soon. Also, I reread the last chapter and decided that it wasn't too much worse than pretty much any of my other chapters. I'll fix it at the mentioned time.

On a side note, I am aware I had written that Arcee was Sara's partner. An obvious mistake, considering Sara didn't know until Annabelle did. In most other of my stories, she is Sara's partner. But here, I meant to say Arcee was Mikaela's partner. I will fix it when I fix all other mistakes.

Also, thank you to my new beta reader, Yatsuki. Thanks allot, and we all probably thank you. This story, at least, will be acceptable to read.

* * *

I coughed, shifting on my perch high on Bee's shoulder.

"Cricket, cricket." Will said out of the corner of his mouth. Eventually Jazz topped him by playing a recording of crickets he found somewhere on the internet.

"Show off." Lennox grumbled.

"Ok, so let me get this straight. You are the illegal aliens that kidnap?" Monique asked slowly.

"Technically, there is nothing written in federal law or anything, that says we can't be here." Arcee pointed out.

"We only compromised with the government that if we leave peacefully and wouldn't come back, they'd refrain from turning the soldiers we have worked with as allies for three years against us." Optimus finished sadly.

"Why would they do that, if you're good guys?" Fred asked.

"Because the government is not to be trusted." Will said seriously. "They work for the overall good of the country. That's their goal obviously. But when it comes to the individual, especially the individuals that rise and threaten to change our way of life so severely that they have to spend more money or work harder to keep things calm, they shoot them down." We all stared at him. "What?"

"Nothing, you just have a way with words." Ironhide answered. "You could become a poet."

"Oh, yeah. And then we'll buy you a big tutu and put you into ballet lessons." I laughed at Will's exciting way of saying it.

"It'll be a drama." Jazz added.

"Swan Lake." Epps got in on it.

"Nutcracker?" Jazz laughed. I only had one thing to say to Epps.

"You're making fun of him, but you're the one's that know ballet." They stared wide-eyed at me. Bee laughed.

"Hey, I got four daughters and a wife." Epps put his hands up in defense. After a second, we all turned to Jazz very slowly. Epps had an excuse, but what was his?

"Weren't we explaining things to them?" He objected, changing the subject. "You should be freaked out. Freak out, big alien robots, ahh." he acted pathetically freaked out himself before continuing urging the Epps's, "Come on, not something you see every day. Long as you aren't him." Jazz jabbed a thumb back at me.

"Stop avoiding it. But you're right." Epps sighed and turned to his family. "They're the good guys. And, we'll be here for a while until the bad guys pass. That's pretty much it."

"I'm going inside." Shaniqua spoke for the first time since being out here. Mozambiqua followed, pulling the shoulder bag she wore around to her front as she went. I could tell it held her laptop.

"This is so cool." Fred shook his head, staring at us all. "How long have you been here? Who are the bad guys again? How big are your guns? Why was Dad fighting with you? Did he ever kill any of the bad guys? How many othe-" Bobby's hand came down over his mouth.

"Fred, relax. I don't think they're going anywhere any time soon." He let his son go. "Relax."

Ironhide, of course, had his cannon out and aimed at them all.

"Are these big enough?" he asked, grinning. The remaining three Epps, not including Bobby, stared wide-eyed and trembled. Fred nodded slowly.

"You asked. Why did you ask?" Will face-palmed and shook his head.

Optimus walked swiftly to his side and hut him upside the head. "You do not need to show everyone who even remotely shows an interest in your cannon how big they are. Nor do you need to show them your cannon so just because you meet them for the first time." Ironhide frowned and transformed his arms back.

They continued staring until Bobby cleared his throat. "Ok, uh, shouldn't we be contacting other former NEST guys?" he asked. "Time's wasting."

"Good idea." Will clapped his hands together. "Ok, I think I've got-" he was cut off very abruptly.

"Only contact those you maintain contact with regularly." Prime said quickly. "As you pointed out, the government is still watching your emails and calls. If they find out you've been contacting an abnormally large amount of people in a short amount of time, all of which are ex-NEST soldiers, they will indeed get suspicious."

"Ok, then, what do you suggest?" Will asked.

"If we can acquire their home addresses, then we can pay them a visit personally. Our only problem then would be if anyone who works for the government - that either used to know us or was told about us - sees us and is able to recognize us. And this I think would be unlikely, for most of those whowere working at the time we were here are likely to not work there anymore and it would be exceptionably hard to pick out an Autobot or Decepticon in a group of normal vehicles." Prime replied professionally.

"Alright. Yeah, we could do that. I know where a few of them live, and we still keep in contact often with others. We could code the message, give an excuse as to why we're calling so many people to our house at this time." Will thought.

"We better get started." Epps cracked his knuckles in habit, he'd been the kind to try and intimidate new recruits. Except, he didn't try to make them scared of him, more like he tried to make them scared of their job. "You'll want to change your alt forms. Cars have improved yet again. Not too much, but enough that you'd all be considered old models."

"I've already though of this. I've accessed enough current automobile plans for each of us. They won't be much different from our previous ones." Ratchet transformed his hand and Jazz backed away. Arcee just shifted slightly, putting herself behind Ironhide and Prime.

"No, no. I can find my own. There's really no need for-" Jazz tried to object. I just watched, absolutely curious about what was happening.

"Stop acting like a sparkling and get your aft over here." Ratchet rolled his optics. I frowned in confusion.

"It's a lot easier and painless, and natural if we get our own alt forms. But, under the circumstances, taking this method would be better for security than otherwise." Bee explained. But, why is everyone so fearful of Ratchet? Right now, Ratchet was in the midst of pinning Jazz to the ground.

Bee must've felt my confusion over the link. "It's a bit, er, strange to feel."

"It's MURDER!" Jazz corrected as Ratchet plowed the transformed hand-tool into a spot on Jazz's head.

"Much like a shot." Bee laughed slightly and I came to the conclusion it was not actually that bad. As far as I could tell, there was little change of his armor.

Finished with Jazz, Ratchet went after Arcee, who was hiding the whole time. With that, Ironhide ran away and Optimus shook his head. Bee just laughed and held his ground. Soon, the Epps family stood by with wide eyes as Ironhide actually stood behind Will for protection. To say the least, it didn't work too well.

"Come on. You wouldn't let Ratchet get your old friend, would you?" Ironhide asked worriedly.

"How do you expect him to help?" Fred asked before he could stop himself.

"You'd be surprised. He's not nearly as scary as Mikaela, but we all have had times to fear him." Optimus explained.

The three of them stared up at the Autobot's leader with wide eyes.

Will, who after deciding there was nothing he could do, or maybe would do, said apologetically. "Sorry 'Hide." yet he didn't move. He only grinned and shook his head as Ratchet launched himself over him and tackled Ironhide to the ground. Three down, two to go. Ratchet turned to Optimus, who was now the closest.

"Hey!" Ironhide suddenly got to his feet. "How come you're the last?"

"I've already gone through it." Ratchet stated as he stepped up to Optimus and struck his head. He was much better about it and didn't object. "I just didn't leak like a human sparkling."

"Cry baby." Will muttered audibly and Ironhide grumbled.

"Your turn." Ratchet turned to Bee. Bee took a step back, but Ratchet was too quick. His arm shot forward and struck Bee in the head on the other side from where I was.

"I don't expect Bumblebee to enter the public often." Optimus rubbed the spot where he'd gotten his 'shot'. "It'd be too much to ask him to leave the boy behind, and from what I've gathered from scanning the internet for local and world-wide news, there are many people who would recognize his face. And should the government not only see him of the same age as he was before we left, but also with the same yellow car, there is no doubt we will be found out."

"Good point. Alright, then, you two will be staying here and guard the kids and wives if they want to stay-" Bobby was cut off.

"What if we want to go?" Fred whined.

"Too dangerous." His father shook his head. "There's a high chance the government will be on our tails out there than in here. And while they all sound political and non-violent in the public eye, which they usually are, when the word 'Cybertron' or 'Autobot', 'Decepticon', or even 'Witwicky', they tend to let their guns speak. It's still a sore spot for them."

"It's still not fair." He pouted. Jazz smiled.

"None of it's fair. You just gotta go with the flow. Besides, is it really that bad to stay here with these two?" he jabbed a finger at us.

"Yes, yes it is." I nodded. Bee rolled his optics and poked me in the stomach.

"Well..." he looked at us intensely.

"Alright, in warning, both of you, three of you if you're staying," Arcee looked at Monique, "and five including the two that left awhile ago, should probably know..."

"Get on with it Arcee." Bee complained.

"They're extremely boring." she said quickly. I couldn't help but laugh as Bee sighed and shook his head.

"Whatever." It was a big letdown for all she was building up to. "Shouldn't you all be doing something?" she asked.

"Alright, no reason to waste any more time." Will clapped his hands together. He'd been ready to take charge, but after thinking better of the situation, he looked up at Optimus. We all copied his action.

Prime smiled and shook his head. "You both know where the others live, and who you can contact without being there personally."

"You're the boss." Will grinned. "Very well. We should split up into teams, one Autobot and one human each." Prime started. "Naturally, Will and Ironhide, Jazz and Epps, and when Sara returns – I know she'll refuse to stay behind – She can leave with Arcee. I expect she will be alright with Arcee's choice in alt forms?" he looked to Will.

"Yeah, we've got a motorcycle in the garage. Mostly it's Annie who rides it, but Sara does sometimes too. The only problem she should have is the speed."

"Sorry, I'm not slowing down." Arcee shifted, grinning in anticipation.

"What about you and me? Considering that Bumblebee and Samuel are not coming." Ratchet urged.

"Annabelle's an adult-" Will started, but was stopped short by Ironhide.

"No."

"Ironhide, she's not a little girl anymore. Actually, she'd probably make her way up to surpass me in NEST if it was still up and running." Said girl's father pointed out.

"No." Ironhide persisted.

"Telling her she can't help won't make a great first impression." he used Ironhide's fondness of his daughter as leverage.

"If she goes, I want her to be on my team."

"You don't trust either of us?" Ratchet asked.

"She goes with you, and William can come with me." Optimus settled the matter.

"That works." Arcee nodded. "Both leaders, probably be better this way. But what about Ratchet?"

We all stayed silent, havinglost in thought for a minute until I hesitantly offered an idea.

"What about Mikaela?" they all turned to stare at me in surprise. "She still lives in Tranquility. She still even works at the garage her dad set up."

"It'll take a while for her to get here." Bee reminded. "And what about when she sees you?"

"She's coming anyway, obviously. So why not?" I shrugged, shifting in my place.

"Alright. Then Ratchet, you stay here until Mikaela arrives. Is this alright with you?"

"Hey, Shaniqua's an adult." Sheleeka pointed out, speaking for the first time.

"Yes, but the rest of us know more about what's going on than you all." Bobby smiled apologetically. "Even you, Monique. Don't give me that look."

"Sara and Annabelle didn't know until yesterday." his wife gave him 'that' look.

"Actually Sara and Annabelle were told of this before the Autobots came here." Will stated. "And they know a lot about what's going on. So they've got reasons to come."

"It's still not fair." Fred stated. I could help it and laughed again. Bee turned to me and cracked a smile, rubbing my head affectionately.

"We should head out now. Jazz and I will follow your two's directions to other members of NEST. Bumblebee and Sam, you both will contact the members whom you can." Optimus urged. Bee nodded.

"We'll need a list of contact information."

"It's on my desk top." Will supplied. "Well, not all of them were in NEST, but you should be able to recognize the names of those who were.

"I will contact Mikaela." Ratchet added.

"And we'll just hang out." Ironhide sighed.

"They'll get home pretty soon, so just relax." Will rolled his eyes. "Oh, I need my gun." he rushed into the house.

"I doubt that will be necessary, William." Optimus called after him.

"Save your breath." Bobby sighed. "He takes that thing shopping."

"I'm ready! Let's do this! Bring the rain!" Will ran out, pretending to shoot it up in the air.

"That's my line." Bobby complained, hitting him upside the head.

"Nevertheless," Optimus interrupted, "We should leave. The sooner we assemble the better. We're still monitoring the Nemesis closely and it is now apparent that it is heading this way." with that, things all got serious.

"When might they land?" Will asked. Bobby's family had stayed silent and watchful, those that stayed out here, and now they looked confused.

"Time is unknown, but our guess is sometime next month. They have not held a constant speed so we cannot be certain." Ratchet filled in. "They are going too slow to suspect they are planning an immediate attack, but as we're all aware, they are still a threat."

"Where's the Ark?" Bobby asked.

"Near." Optimus assured. "But well hidden. They could not arrive quickly in case of an emergency. That is why we must rely on our plan now. And with the impending threat, I believe we'll need all the time we can get." He transformed and opened the driver's side door.

"Ok then, tell the girls I said hi." Will urged, jumping in and buckling in as Optimus shut the door. Jazz did the same with Bobby before both Autobots sped off. We were silent for a minute before Ironhide broke the silence.

"I hope Galloway isn't still with the government."

* * *

Sorry about the really long wait. Not only was there the end of the school year, but we also had to move. To make matters worse, I was the only in a house hold of four to have packed anything before the last two days. I plan on updating again today, a different story, but the way I'm going, don't get your hopes up. I haven't even reached that time where I've got the rest of the rest of the summer where it's just me and the computer.

I'll be leaving again soon. I'd already be gone if I wasn't sick. Just to put a reason to it, let's just say I got sick just so I could update for you guys and gals.

Hope it was long enough to make up for the long wait. R&R


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry for the really long wait again. But I hope this will make you forgive me: I was banned from the computer, then I spent the day at Worlds of Fun, I finally got to see the new Transformers movie, on the third, and I got the new Transformers collection book. Transformers Vault: the Complete Univerce. If you haven't heard of it, it's got everything from the original pre-Transformers toys in Japan to Dark of the Moon. It explains everything, showcases exclusive stuff and never released stuff. So if you think I'm one of those people that got into transformers with the movie, I'm not. I'm actually from the Unicron Trilogy years, though I also watched Robots in Disguise before I actually could comprehend what it was. Also, I am a big fan of the classic G1.

I'm ranting, but I'm just very excited about this thing. It is a book to live by, and my summer school text book.

Thanks to this story's beta reader, Yatsuki. You're doing us all a favor.

Hope you like it.

* * *

We were all in the living room, and I meant everyone. I sat on the floor with Bee's holoform next to me, while Arcee, Ironhide, and Ratchet's holoforms sat in the two-seat sofa behind us. Monique, Shaniqua, Sheleeka, Mozambiqua, and Fred all sat across from us on the full-length sofa and the arm chair. Sheleeka and Fred were playing a card game, while Mozambiqua gave her laptop her undivided attention, although she still glanced at us every once in a while.

"So, how long do you expect to be trying to find these former soldiers?" Monique asked to no one in particular.

"Not long, I hope." Ratchet replied. "We don't have luxury time."

"How many of you are there?" Fred asked.

"Not many." Arcee sighed. I glanced from her to Bee quickly, knowing the other two had the same sad expression these two wore. Bee gave me a side hug and we all fell silent again.

"You say you were never revealed to the public?" Mozambiqua asked, suddenly looking up.

"Yes?" Ratchet frowned cautiously.

"What's this then?" She turned the laptop around on her lap quickly to reveal a vaguely familiar web site. I suppressed a laugh and Bee shook his head.

"Nothing." He answered, sitting up next to me as I leaned back into the edge of the sofa. "Just a boy we used to know, before we even knew him, had been convinced there was an alien war taking place here. He'd been there at Mission City, and he would try everything he could to convince the world that the government was lying to them and that aliens existed."

"I thought those people only existed in movies." Fred stared at us.

"No, oh no. You can check out a similar website. It's posted by Robowarrior." I shook my head.

"Why didn't you take it down?" Mozambiqua asked, turning her computer back around.

"It would cause too much suspicion. They had a large number of fans following them. If they were taken down right after the second battle, which would have been the first opportunity, then it would only fuel their fans' suspicions." Bee supplied. I looked toward the ceiling out of boredom and watched the ceiling fan move slowly.

"Why not later on then?" Fred still hadn't taken his turn.

"Go." Sheleeka urged. He turned back to his hand and grabbed a card, pinning it down to the table with a *snap*. She gave him an irritated look before analyzing her cards. Fred looked back to us for an answer.

"It wasn't that important. Without them to provide the information, most of these followers couldn't know anything else." Bee glanced to me. "And there was never very much specific information."

"He tried to post once after that." I reminded. "To give out my name."

"That would have been more disastrous than anything else they had." Ironhide mused.

"Why?" Shaniqua slipped, she'd been acting like she wasn't listening. We didn't pay this any mind, just the question.

"Because one of our enemies had already plastered his face, name, ID, and everything else on every TV around the world." Ironhide shifted. "The government only just barely managed to keep the public down and feed them the story that there'd been a genius fugitive that had disguised his voice and image, but mixed Sam up with someone else. We even managed to create a fugitive we'd caught, and the real person he'd been after."

"How do you 'create' a person?" Fred asked, laying down another card.

"Our holoforms." Arcee rolled her eyes. "Optimus took care of the fugitive, making a temporary 32 year old man that NEST agents could pretend to escort to the highest security jail. We bribed the workers there to pretend they held him in isolation until he died three months later from suspected poisoning from another criminal. The supposed burial ground was never released, and we never let out when it would be."

"Who was the 'real target'?" Shaniqua asked.

"Sideswipe created a 25 year old man that the 'criminal' supposedly accused to have the cure to the cancer he had. We let out that he did not, in fact, have a cure, and that the criminal was just insane and desperate." Ratchet ended.

"Wow. So, that also gives a reason for his death." Sheleeka mused. They nodded silently. We all fell silent again for another ten minutes. Then-

"This guy who posted the website, are you going to ask him to come out here too?" Monique questioned.

"No. We don't really need his help." Ratchet said quickly. "He isn't trained in combat, and he would likely get in the way."

"Of course." I laughed slightly.

"What about this 'Robowarrior'? His sight seems much more advanced than the other one." Mozambiqua was staring at the screen still.

"He'd been studying our species since before we landed on Earth." Bee stated irritably. "We made him loose his job and he retaliated by making that sight."

"His job being..."

"To capture and torture any Cybertronians they could." I glared at the slow-moving white blades.

"They thought they were doing what was for the good of Earth. And they were, by keeping Megatron hidden and frozen." Bee assured.

"Yeah, but still." I sighed and looked back down. "We had to seek him back out again to help before the second battle here on Earth. We made a truce and he turned out to be an alright guy, once you got past the loud mouth, thinks-he's-superior-to-everyone thing. We got him a job at NEST."

"I think I've figured it out, but just in case, what exactly is NEST?" We all turned to Monique again.

"It stands for 'Networked Elements: Supporters and Transformers'." Ironhide answered automatically. "It initially refers to our joined forces of Autobots and soldiers, but usually we use it to refer to just the soldiers. In this case, we came to give in just meaning 'Non-biological Extraterrestrial Support Team'."

"So it's just the army guys." Fred stared at him.

"Also the human medics, intelligence officers, security keepers, technicians, hackers-" I cut Arcee off.

"Army guys, and nerds." I put it simply. Bee chuckled and glanced at me. I glanced to Arcee, who glared at me playfully.

"Dad was an army guy, right?" Shaniqua looked to her mother, who nodded. That's pretty much all the family can know.

We all suddenly heard the engine of the truck pull up. We all glanced outside just as Sarah pulled into the garage.

"I'm touched." Ironhide grinned. "He thought of me when he got that."

"Actually, it was the only thing left." I shot at him, though he already knew the truck was a replacement so Sarah wouldn't suspect anything when Will's 'truck' was suddenly gone. Ironhide was probably there when he got it.

Said 'bot leaned over and tried to hit me upside the head. Bee blocked him and I stuck my tongue out. Bee suddenly hit me upside the head and I frowned at him.

"Only I can hit him." Ironhide burst out laughing and Bee grinned, giving me another side hug.

The door opened then, and Sarah nearly dropped her filing box. She gaped at the holoforms and the Epps. We were all silent for a minute before she regained control over herself.

"When'd you get here? I expect you four are Autobots?" she eyed them.

"Yes. I'm just Bumblebee." He assured. "This is Ratchet, Ironhide, and Arcee." He gestured to the holoforms in order from closest to us to farthest away. Ratchet was right behind Bee, I leaned against the sofa on the other side of Ratchet.

"Nice to meet you, where's my husband? And Prime?" She set the papers down on the table and dropped her keys into a bowl nearby. She looked to the Epps family. "And Bobby?"

"Recruiting more former NEST members." Bee replied. "Will went with Optimus, and Robert with Jazz."

"What about you guys?" She asked, sitting on the arm of the sofa.

"I expected you and your daughter would want to help." Ratchet sat up.

"Oh, yes. But..."

"You can leave with Arcee, and Annabelle with Ironhide." Bee smiled. Sarah quickly looked to the woman sitting on the end of the sofa.

"Well, when do we leave?" She asked.

"As soon as possible. I've already got all the information needed to find them. And I expect you, being the wife of major Lennox, will not freak out on me on the highway." The Lennox mother visibly gulped. Arcee grinned. "Don't worry, I'm safer than any normal motorcycle."

"Of course." She mused. "We can leave in a moment, I just need to take care of a few things first." She quickly let the room.

"Now we wait for Annie and Mikaela." Bee mused. "I both anticipate and fear seeing Mikaela again."

* * *

Kind of a cut off ending, but I thought that it was good enough. I'd probably group Mikaela and Annabelle's return into one chapter, to make it nice and long.

I won't be updating for a while again, yes again, because we are finally moving. Yay. Well, I'll get back on as soon as possible.

Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing, no matter how bad the grammar/spelling. I love the reviews, each one. I love them as much as I know some of you love the story. Keep them coming, and I'll happily keep the chapters coming. Actually, I'd probably keep the chapters coming even if no one reviewed.


	17. Chapter 17

I again apologize for the wait. And I don't have much better of an excuse than reading. Reading, and writing my book. I'm trying to write a book, and I'm hoping to get it published someday. I've even got a friend that would do wonderful as my illustrator. She has a Deviant Art profile, but I don't actually know what it is. Otherwise, I would ask you to see her stuff. She's great.

Hope you like it, and because I feel compelled to point this out, I've got a disclaimer for all my stories on my profile.

* * *

It wasn't an hour later until Annabelle stepped through the door. She dropped her bag to the side and smiled at Sheleeka.

"What's going on?" She asked. I sat up and looked at her. I wondered how she would react to seeing Ironhide. "Sam. Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They're out with Bobby." Monique answered.

"Where? Why are you all here? What's going on?" She hesitantly sat in the only open seat, which was next to Ironhide.

"Will, Sarah, and Robert are out with Optimus, Arcee, and Jazz. They're searching for more former NEST members before the Decepticons or the government finds us." Ironhide answered, making her jump.

"Holey- you're an Autobot!" She realized, Ratchet chuckled.

"Yes. That's just Ironhide and Ratchet." Bumblebee introduced them. Considering that she'd met Bee before, she recognized his voice.

"Oh, hi. If they left, why are you still here?" She asked, looking at both them and us. I looked down, averting her gaze.

"Sam and I are staying behind to 'guard the base', and keep them company." Bee nodded to the Epps.

"Ironhide and I are waiting for the humans we will leave with. Each of us Autobots have to have a human partner in order to search. And we figured you'd want to help." Ratchet supplied.

"Of course I do. So, I'm going with one of you? None of them are going?" Annie looked to the other family.

"No, we have to stay here." Fred complained. "Are you sure I couldn't just come along. If the government comes, I could help with an alibi."

"No alibi will help." Ironhide stated. "If we're caught by just a police officer, we can easily get out of it. But if the government did come up, they have equipment to know if a car is Cybertronian or not."

"Oh." Fred slouched again, and their family went silent.

"Who am I going with?" She asked.

"Me." Ironhide grinned.

"Figures. You're the one Dad mentioned. The one who looked after me when I was a child." "We were all fond of you, Annabelle. Still are. Ironhide was just the one that spoiled you all the time." Bumblebee laughed.

"Right, well, let's go. I have no idea what we're doing, but let's go." She urged, excited for her first mission. Ironhide chuckled and flickered out of existence. This startled her. An engine started outside and she shook her head, walking back out the door.

Two down, one to go.

"When do we expect Mikaela to get here?" I asked nervously.

"Soon." Ratchet responded. "I didn't tell her who I was, or much of anything except that she needs to return to the Lennox house as soon as possible."

"But, she recognized your voice." Bee guessed.

"More like she recognized the numberless call. She asked which one of us it was before I even spoke. But, she kept it on the down low. She's smarter than to assume the line was secure." Ratchet smiled proudly.

"She never forgets this kind of stuff." I sighed.

"You guys are talking about her like the house is going to blow up when she gets here." Mozambiqua looked up from the screen she'd been staring intently at.

"Don't assume it won't." Bee said seriously, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"What's with you two anyways?" Shaniqua finally snapped. She sat up and stared at us. "I mean, I know you're his guardian, but there's something weird about you. Something weird about all of you. You guys are always talking to and about my dad, and Annie's dad, like good friends. And all the other humans you know. But you pretty much just ignore Sam sitting there and I get the feeling something weird is going on."

"I'm just his guardian. It's my job to be with him all the time." Bee defended. "We've gotten to be good friends."

"We're all so used to Sam being around we just think of him as one of us. He usually joins in conversations without prompting, but it's been twenty years. I expect he's alright with just sitting by with Bee." Ratchet added. They were defending our link, but, from the look on the Epps' faces, they didn't buy any of it.

"Tell us the truth." Shaniqua demanded.

"We are, what could you possibly be suggesting-" Ratchet started but I cut him off.

"I'm his pet." Everyone stared at me.

"Sam..." Ratchet shook his head.

"What? Did you really think you were going to shake them off our trail?" I asked. "Wasn't going to happen. You guys are terrible liars when it comes to this kind of stuff."

"Sam, how do we know they can keep it secret? They'll probably blab to the government as soon as they get the chance." Bee gave me a squeeze around the shoulders.

"No we won't." Sheleeka insisted. We all turned to her. She shifted slightly under all the gazes. "Right? I mean, our dad's working with you. If you don't think we'd keep your secret, we'd keep his."

"Yeah, what she said." Fred stared at me with wide eyes. "But, tell the truth. I'm confused." The others all nodded in agreement. Monique just shook her head in disbelief, we all knew it was just disbelief.

"This is ridiculous. I'd never _want_ to tell anyone that." Monique pointed out. Ratchet and Bee turned their gazes back to me.

"Sam, you really want the attention?" Bee asked gently.

"Not really, but it had to be done." Bumblebee smiled slightly and looked back at them.

"Yeah, he's my human. But, obviously he's alright with it. So is everyone else. William, Sarah, and Annabelle all know. They're alright with it." Bee sighed.

"How? How can they be, how can he be, how is this possible? Just, how?" Mozambiqua asked, her laptop now shut and forgotten on the coffee table.

"It's a kind of link that connects us. He was very much Bumblebee's human before it," Ratchet helped out this time, "But this link not only connects them in many ways only for that, but it also enhances Sam's obedience with Bumblebee, and Bumblebee's possessiveness. It only pulls them closer."

"Yeah, that's weird. But, I'm not going to freak out. It's not me." Mozambiqua shook her head.

"You really can't tell anyone about this. For some reason, civilians seem to take the news allot better. Then again, Will and Epps aren't technically civilians. They're still military." Ratchet mused.

"And I'm sure that if you told some random person off the side of the street, they'd freak out." I pointed out. Bee chuckled, imagining it. We were just talking about the link, which brought it back to my immediate attention. I settled in next to Bee once more while they started talking and explaining things about it.

I probed around the bridge, entering his side. I poked at his 'spark'. That was all I could think of to call it. Nothing about this link was physical, but it was the best way I could describe it, other than saying it was what he wrapped around tightly on my side.

He jumped slightly when I did this, not expecting it. "Exploring?" he asked, smirking at me. I smiled back. He suddenly gave a squeeze on my side and I huddled closer to his holoform. He chuckled, hugging me again.

"What just happened?" Sheleeka asked, confused.

"The link." Ratchet replied simply, rolling his optics.

I poked him for the second time and he squeezed again, we were giving each other hugs-of-the-heart. He sent me affection and amusement and I responded with curiosity, wanting to explore more about the link. When I switched my attention to the emotion part, I'd faded out of the other part. How did he do so much at once? I tried to remember more about what he'd told me about it and returned to the bridge. I retreated in on myself, wondering if I could find where he wrapped around me.

For a moment, I was just inspecting it to the extend I got a mental picture of walls and tunnels. Like a maze, where all passages led to one place. I found what I was looking for and he let up slightly, sending me curiosity as I probed him, who seemed to be all around me.

I suddenly slipped through the cracks and fell through what could only be described as a hidden trap. I fell deeper in on myself and I suddenly felt reserved, returning to the way I was for twenty years without them, even though Bumblebee and Ratchet were right here. I became unaware about what was around me and I hugged my legs to my chest. I heard Bee say something and I felt him do something beside me, but I was no longer consciously aware of the link.

Suddenly, like a blanket in the dead of a winter night, I was caught and quickly pulled back up. I returned to normal and I stared up at Bee, who had gathered me in his arms completely.

"Don't go down there." He said seriously, holding my 'heart' a lot tighter than before and not allowing any cracks to show. I nodded, not understanding what just happened. I took in all the comfort and worry he sent my way, but rushed myself back across the bridge to his 'spark'. I drew comfort from both the security on my side, and the presence here on his side. Whatever just happened shook me in my shoes.

"Bumblebee?" Ratchet asked worriedly for an explanation. I must have done something physically, but I didn't remember what. I just knew I was suddenly in such a tight ball, my ribs ached, with Bee hugging me tightly. Well, that would be cause for concern, wouldn't it?

"He's alright. He just found the edge and slipped over on accident." Bee said softly, still having me in his tight embrace.

Ratchet nodded sadly. "Humans are awoken to this part of themselves when a link is created. In the past, when the Decepticons abused this particular link, most human victims jumped over the edge."

"Don't go down there." Bee repeated. I only realized then that this whole area I had been exploring wasn't just some mental-emotional non-existent place connected between us. Or, maybe it was, minus the non-existent part. If he squeezed hard enough, he could stop my heart. He could cause me physical pain. Visible. Or, he could take it to his own side and keep me alive if my heart failed. He could forcefully bring me in and out of depressions. In this inner-world, we were both here. But he was the larger force.

I huddled even closer and took a deep breath. "Never." I vowed.

* * *

I was going to bring Mikaela in here, but then this came up and I couldn't pass it up. I hoped you liked it, I did. That there is inspiration for other stories, which keep me sane until I come back. Yes, I've got to go again. And yes, I am sorry I only updated one story once. Sad, but true.

I think I say sorry so much you'd probably think I just said it. But, I really do always feel sorry when I've got to leave the computer and I've left an inexcusable low amount of updates. I need to get these stories under control before I start any others. So that poll will be up for a while longer.

Thank you to everyone that's reviewed, favorited, and alerted this fic. You're the reason I chose to update this one.


	18. Not a Chapter

Sorry this isn't actually a chapter, but I've been having issues within my family. I'm sorry guys, but the flames I've received earlier in many of my stories were actually from my uncle and brother. I probably should have told you all this before, but now I am. But, just so you know, whoever contacted him, that was great. I congratulate you. Awesome. (not sarcastic, you're my new best friend)


	19. Chapter 19

So, I am really, really sorry it took me forever to update this story. I know all of those who were reading Lies, or Just not the Whole Truth appreciate me finishing that story, but I'm also aware that many of you weren't reading that one and my extended absence was just inexcusable. But, know I have finished Lies, or Just not the Whole Truth, and that if I had been trying to update this story at the same time, both would still be ongoing and likely I would still be overwhelmed by how many updates I had to do.

Then, for all of those who are just happy I finally updated and don't really care either way, here it is. I had to re-read the entire story after I finished the other story, so I could get back into the mind set, and hopefully my writing style hasn't changed enough to make no sense. If it's obvious I'm not back into the characters properly, please tell me.

And so, my friends, I present to you chapter 16 of Twenty Years Later. I sincerely hope you like it.

* * *

"The entire world was hunting for him by then." Ratchet recalled. "Even with every civilian and soldier pulling every resource to find the boy, Mikaela, their friend, Bumblebee, and Skids and Mudflap, we were searching for them too. Without Optimus's help, it was slow going. Especially since most of our personal search was done behind closed doors."

"How did he come back? Please tell me you guys didn't get caught." Fred was leaning forward, more interested in the story than his sisters and Mother. Though, everyone was with trained eyes on the medic's holoform.

"To explain how Prime was brought back, you need to understand the Matrix of Leadership." Ratchet shook his head. "A powerful object nearly, if not just, as old as the Cube itself."

"And, that's the Allspark, right?" the different terms were confusing Shaleeka.

"Yes." I spoke up, remembering how Jetfire had described it. Ratchet sat back and let me take over, probably with relief. "The Matrix of Leadership, like the Allspark, is not actually living. But, they sort of behave as if they had their own living entities. They're the power of others channeled into this world through these objects. Just accept that, I'm not going to go into the whole 'Primus-Unicron-seventh-dimension' thing. The point is, anyone can see the Matrix. You could get as close as you want, you could smell it even. Smells old by the way. But you can't touch it unless you are meant to. That usually means you have to be a Prime."

"Usually." Bumblebee glanced at me with wonder. After everything that's happened, that's what he's still surprised with? I shook my head and got back on topic.

"Yeah. To be a Prime, you've already proven yourself and done great things for the greater good. You're automatically free of maliciousness. So they're naturally able to hold the Matrix. But, the only problem with that is, while we were on the run, the only surviving Prime was off line back in Diego Garcia. An ex-Decepticon pointed us in the right direction, translating the symbols in my head toward the Matrix of Leadership. He told us we could use it to bring Optimus back. It wasn't much of a plan, following a riddle written in Cybertronian floating in my brain and translated by an old Decepticon to find a mythical object, but it was better than anything else." I admitted.

"The best plan we could have had." Bumblebee added. "We followed it to the Tomb of the Primes, where six of the original seven Primes sacrificed themselves to hide the Matrix from The Fallen, the seventh, who wanted to use it to destroy Earth. There, when Sam tried to pick it up, it turned to dust. That's when we realized not just anyone can use the Matrix."

"But the annoyingly determined human," Ratchet gave me a look and I smiled, "didn't give up. If I recall correctly, you put it in your _sock_."

I nodded. "Will had brought Prime to the desert. We'd called him earlier to bring him in, even if we couldn't tell them why. Even still, it wasn't a party until the Decepticons and The Fallen showed up. NEST helped get us closer to Optimus, but it was hard. The Decepticons were specifically trying to keep me away from him, after all."

"So, you got to him and the dust worked?" Fred urged me on. I scratched my head.

"Well, no."

"Then, it didn't work? Prime was brought back a different way?" he tried again.

"No."

"Since he's a Prime, once you put the dust on him it turned back into the Matrix?"

"Not really."

"Then what happened?" Shaniqua cut her brother off, getting annoyed with his method.

"Sam died." a new voice answered as the door opened. I nearly had a heart attack and all of the Epps jumped. In the door way stood a more matured version of the girl I'd been kidnapped by aliens, then the government, then aliens a few more times, with.

She glared daggers at me.

"Did you plan to let me think you were dead my entire life? Or, please tell me they took you with them." she pointed vaguely between Ratchet and Bee.

"Ah... no." I repeated.

Her eyes narrowed and she rounded on Ratchet.

"And what are you doing back here? You guys left. And where's Arcee? You decided to show up, unannounced and under the radar, drag me back into all this, and she isn't even here?" Everyone was silent until she stopped and took a breath.

"Arcee is here." Ratchet spoke calmly. "She's left with Sarah. Robert and William have gone with Jazz and Prime. And Annabelle has gone with Ironhide." Her face slowly calmed down. "Now, I'm certainly hoping this is a slip of your mind, Banes. Yell at me like that again, and I will personally insure your medical experiences while we are here are not pleasant."

She took a step back. The threat sounded petty, but everyone knew Ratchet enough to know that he doesn't mean just a sprained wrist. I'm pretty sure he considers wrench-chucking a medical process.

"I'm guessing you're Mikaela." Monique broke the rigid atmosphere. She stood up to shake her hand. "I'm Monique, Bobby's wife."

Mikaela shook her hand and smiled pleasantly. "Oh, you haven't changed much. Bobby used to show us all pictures of you and, which one of you is, uh..." she had to remember the name, "Shareeka?"

"She's not here." Shaleeka answered. "She had to stay behind with her husband."

"Wow, married. I remember her as a little girl, like Annie. How's Annie?" Mikaela shut the door and took a seat next to Ratchet where Ironhide had been.

"Still living at home. She isn't married." Shaleeka sat up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we are on a mission here. The Decepticons are on their way to Earth, and all of the others have already gone off to recruit old NEST members manually so the government wont notice as much. Bumblebee is remaining here with his human, and I am here waiting for you. If you don't mind, we need to get going." Ratchet butted in.

"Of course the Decepticons are back. So the story is back on." she sighed. "Well, then, lets go." She stood up. Ratchet's holoform disappeared. Silently, she walked back towards the door. She stopped, looked back at me and Bee, and threatened us. "You better have a good reason why you made me think you were dead all this time, or I'll beat you." pause for suspense. "Both, because I know somehow it's your fault." she pointed menacingly at Bee before walking out the door.

So then it was just us. Five Eppses, Bee, and me. It was quiet for a couple minutes. Then...

"So what then?" Fred leaned forward again. I grinned, but Bee answered.

"Sam managed to get to Optimus with the Matrix, and bring him back on line. Jolt, another Autobot still on the Ark, gave him more energy to get back up and transferred parts from Jetfire to him. Jetfire ripped his own spark out to give Prime parts."

"Wow. Wait, how'd he come back from the dead? I mean, Sam. You. How'd you come back?" Fred's questions seemed to speak for them all.

"I met the original Dynasty of Primes. They said I'd proved myself and gave me the ability to use the Matrix of Leadership. That's why we say _usually_ you have to be a Prime." I mused. "Optimus took The Fallen out pretty easily with Jetfire's armor, taking a good chunk out of Megatron too. By the time the battle ended, they wanted to get us out of there as fast as possible, we couldn't even help clean up. We had to take an air craft carrier home, and they held us in solitary confinement at the state-side base forever until the world calmed down a bit."

"So, how long will this take them? When will Dad be back?" Mozambiqua changed the subject quickly.

"I don't know. Optimus will hail me on the comm. later, that should tell us how long to expect." Bumblebee assured.

"Great. I'm hungry." she stood and left her laptop on the coffee table before going into the kitchen.

"There's one thing I don't understand, in what you told us." Monique started, picking up the NEST handbook. "If you figured out that this link thing was there not long after you left, why not do something about it then instead of waiting twenty years? Get rid of it, or turn around and pick him up, even that would have been better than sitting in that old building the entire time, surely."

Bumblebee was surprised by the question, or was that just my surprise? There was enough for both of us; I hadn't even thought of that.

"We couldn't return. The longer it's been, the less the government is monitoring for our return. If we tried it back then, they would have found us before we entered the stratosphere. And, to sever it, we'd have to have Sam there still."

"Do you guys even have a plan beyond this?" Shaleeka questioned. Mozambiqua walked back in with a bowl of cereal.

"We'll talk about that when we check in with the others tonight." Bee answered in short. I looked at the clock and wondered what would come next. For so long it was just surviving the boredom and strange sorrow of their departure that stubbornly wouldn't fade with time. Then, there was the reunition, but what now? After we sort all this out, am I just going to leave with them?

"You need to call your parents." Monique suddenly spoke up. I looked back to them.

"No way, I broke that contact long ago." I shook my head.

"As a parent, I _know_ you need to call your parents. They may have thought you were dead all this time, and you may be leaving when this is over, but don't they deserve to see their son again?" she insisted. I have missed them. I actually seen Mom on TV behind a reporter at some grocery store two years ago. I don't remember what it was about, but the way she made a big deal about being seen in the background was definitely her.

"Do you want to?" Bee looked at me seriously.

"No. Mom'll kill me." I mused, staring at the coffee table.

"Just call her." Shaleeka insisted.

"They'll be so upset." I shook my head again.

"Sheesh, just do it. It's meaner to not let them know you're alive." Shaniqua got in on it. Everyone was ganging up on me, even Bee. He didn't say anything persuasive, but over the link I could tell he wanted me to call them. He kept it from effecting my judgment, but it was still there.

"Fine." I sighed. Instantly, someone's cell phone was in my face. I took it, then stopped. "I don't know the number. Oh, too bad."

Half a moment later, Bumblebee recited ten numbers confidently. I gave him a look and he smirked. Dialing, I didn't push the little green button. I already came to terms with separating from them, they're already convinced I'm dead. Maybe, they still put the posters around...

Bumblebee reached over and pushed the button. Glaring at him, I raised it to my ear. The entire room was silent, which didn't help my nerves.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. What if they don't pick up? Oh, well. Too bad.

Click. Shoot.

"Witwicky residence, if you're selling something we don't want it." It was Dad, he sounded way old. Shouldn't he be, like, in his late fifties?

"I'm not selling anything." I spoke hesitantly. The line was silent for a moment, then...

"I'm sorry, you're, ah... then what do you want?" he thought he heard a voice he knew.

"I just want to tell you, ah..." Monique mouthed the words 'I'm your son'. I looked away. "There was an event a couple decades ago, a departure of some very important people from the area."

"Who is this?" he demanded.

"Not long after, another person disappeared. And... ah..."

"Sammy?" mom's voice was muffled, and I had to wonder how she knew it was me even though she wasn't talking to me right now.

"No, Judy. It couldn't be him. Probably some government official. They're talking about the Auto-"

"No." I jumped, cutting him off. "No, I'm not with the government. I am."

"Am what?" he was getting annoyed. "You have to be more specific with this old man."

"I am a Witwicky."

Silence. Everyone in the room held their breath.

"I knew it. They came back to take you, didn't they? And now you have the decency to tell us you're leaving. Are you on Earth now? Or the moon, or somewhere else?" I wasn't sure if he was angry or relieved.

"Let me talk to him." Mom was closer now.

"Judy, here." BEEP

"Am I on speaker phone?" I asked, suspicious.

"Yes. Your mother and I BOTH deserve an explanation. You just disappeared, you would run away, and you've hung out at that military base enough not to get murdered or kidnapped. Not unless it was _them_ that did it. Didn't I ask a question? You better answer it. Where are you right now?"

I hesitated, glancing to Bee. He shrugged. Do I tell them, or not? Mikaela knows, we're getting ready to let a whole bunch of other people know. So, it would be kind of unfair not to let them know.

"A- at a friend's house." I suddenly remembered the entire reason they were tracking down NEST soldiers manually. The government is probably tapping the phone. Well, how would they know to tap this phone? No, they'd have Mom and Dad's phones tapped.

"Who? We're coming, right now." I heard Mom doing something, a jingle of keys, then the phone dropped. "Sorry."

"No. No, you can't come. Mom, it's kind of dangerous. Just, stay there."

"Samuel. Tell. Me. Where. You. Are." Dad sounded more dangerous than Ratchet after a check up with Skids and Mudflap.

"A friend, it can't be Mikaela. I was just there yesterday." Mom mused. "What other humans did he have as a friend?"

"I'm right here. And I had plenty of human friends." I defended.

"You. You abandoned us for twenty years, letting your mother think you might be dead. You be quiet unless it's to tell us where you are so I can beat the snot out of you before I let your mother at you." Dad threatened. My eyebrows shot up. Like I'm going to tell them now.

"There was that Leo boy..."

"No. I think he works with the government now. That would be suicide for Sam. Who was that man that Sam met at the junkyard to see?"

"That was Optimus-"

"HEY!" I shouted. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. If I tell you, do you swear to stop talking on the phone? Not to tell anyone, or even hint?"

"Yes."

"Why?" They agreed in unison.

"Do you remember babysitting a little girl? And her father, that when he came to pick her up he stole all our pop tarts?" Fred, Shaleeka, and Mozambiqua all looked surprised. Bee laughed.

"You're there?! We don't even know where 'there' is. Ron, doesn't he live somewhere in Maine?" Mom complained.

"No, I think it's in Pennsylvania. Isn't it?" he mused. Before they made me give the exact place, I ended the call. Tossing the phone back to it's owner, I frowned.

"Thanks. For that." I glared at the lot of them. "Now they're going to try and find me, and that'll be great."

"If we get the chance," Bumblebee started, "I want you to see Ron and Judy."

"I really don't know..." I sighed. I wouldn't know what to say...

"Lets watch some TV." Shaleeka decided to change the subject and picked up the remote. Monique stood and went to the kitchen. There was a strange silence as channel after channel went by. Movie, movie, movie, cartoon, commercial, commercial, TV show, commercial. It was awkward. There's nothing to do but wait, and everyone here will stay here until the others return. I wonder if it's school time? Will Shaleeka, Mozambiqua, and Fred miss school?

There was a program on some history channel about the Pyramids and how they were made. They compared the earliest pictures of them to today-times. Now, they only one had a pointed top, the farthest from the largest. The largest in question sustained the greatest damage, with so much torn from the top that parts of alien metal was revealed. Apparently it's a widely accepted excuse that the metal was some sort of skeleton of the pyramid that was recently (twenty years ago) discovered to have been made as a pre-build of the pyramids. The channel finally turned.

"Did you see those nodes around the top?" Bumblebee spoke up. The channel went back, but they were onto the Pharaohs who they were made for.

"What?" Fred asked, staring at the screen and waiting for the last picture to come back up.

"The security nodes. They were Cybertronian technology." Bumblebee was sitting upright and his arm around my shoulders had gone slack. I followed suit immediately.

"Decepticons?"

"No." He shook his head. "They were human, but, it was Cybertronian technology."

"It says," Mozambiqua was back with her nose in her computer, "That those are state-of-the-art archeology beacons that are supposed to analyze the structure of the Pyramidal Skeleton. They just came out five years ago."

"The government is studying the Solar Harvester." I realized. "That's how they got those nodes. And now they're trying to study the Harvester even more?"

"They've already made advancements in their technology." Bumblebee stated, with that look on his face to say he's only half in his holoform. The other half is surfing the web. "I've found plans for a new model of guns they've created. They're dated to release February of next year."

"They're making weapons based off the Solar Harvester?" I felt my jaw drop open. That cant be good. "Isn't that technology advanced even for you guys?"

Bee nodded. "Solus Prime herself deemed the Solar Harvester too powerful to use in warfare. That, the Requiem Blaster, Star Saber, and the Skyboom Shield were dismantled and locked away around the universe while we still had space bridges allowing us to go there."

"So, I'm going to guess these new weapons are going to be no good?" Shaniqua questioned. Bee and I shook our heads in unison.

"This is terrible. We have to tell Prime." I urged.

"We can't contact him until he contacts us." Bee objected. "We should find out what else they've developed."

I kept my eyes uselessly on the TV while the two with internet access searched for anything and everything. The silence didn't last long.

"NEST was disbanded." Bumblebee began.

"Yeah. I know that." Fred pointed out, since that was an established fact.

"Then why are their servers and network still up?" he wondered. What has the government been up to, while I was being turned inside out these past twenty years?

"Can you get in?" I demanded, urging him over the link. He opened it up and I could practically _feel_ his internet search.

"No." he shook his head. Is it possible to feel a search?

"They've already produced and mass produced technology from the Solar Harvester." Bee went on. "A virtual reality game, called-"

"Harvesting the Sun." Fred jumped up. "That's the hottest game! My friend Ryan, his cousin got that game for his birthday a month ago, and he says it's the best game ever!"

"This is terrible." I moaned. "Haven't they figured it out yet? We aren't ready for this technology. It's just going to start war..."

"It already has." Monique spoke up. "I think. I always thought there was something fishy about that public announcement last week. That the government was recruiting for the army, 'just in case'." she used air quotes.

I shared Bumblebee's sinking feeling. "We aren't going to be able to just drag the Decepticons away from Earth and be done with it, are we?" I asked.

Bee shook his head. "Optimus won't stand for this. We'll have to do something."

"So when are they supposed to check in?" Shaleeka wondered.

"Not until after dark. Are we just going to sit here and wait until then?" Bumblebee shook his head.

I don't think we could. We have to do something. But, what can we do? What is there to do? We need Optimus and the others. At a time like this, something has to be done.

"How hard is it to avoid hurting someone, when they can hurt you now?" I asked, a sense of dread falling over me farther. For twenty years, I was lost. Then, only recently I was found. But now, I just knew that black SUV out the window means I'm just as lost as before. Only now, I wasn't alone.

* * *

To me, this chapter seems a little confusing and jumbled together. Like one thing is happening, then the next line you're going back and saying 'wait, what?'. But, aside from the fact I only just found out where I was going with this story half way through this chapter, it's supposed to be like that. Because all the adults and professionals are out there, lost from contact, while the kids sit back at base and make terrifying revelations. Because, honestly, what's more scary than a human with Cybertronian tech? With _ancient_ Cybertronian tech? The Eppses are new to all this, so they have no idea what's going on. Sam's been about as mentally present as a ghost for the past twenty years, and to be honest, he isn't quite re-used to the pressure of working with Autobots yet.

Yes, I am somewhat well-versed in my Cybertronian history. I read Alex Irvine's books (love them), and I will often times pull from there my history in my stories. Just because it's so dang great. Especially the parts where Optimus and Megatron came from. I'm not going to say, for any who may have not yet but plan to read the books. Let's just say Optimus Prime's line after Megatron dies in the first movie has a _bit _of history behind it. Of course, Exodus and Exiles aren't for the Bay-verse movies. They are with the video game series "Fall of Cybertron" etc, and the "Transformers: Prime" cartoon series.

Enough with my ramblings, and on with the updating. With only a single, final note to leave those who care at all to read these with. I will now revise my favorite movie (Bay-verse is great, but not the best and the '80s movie makes me sad) to "Rise of the Guardians". Anyone who may have seen it, I salute you. Anyone who hasn't, go see it. And anyone who's never heard of it, look it up. But maybe I'm bias, for something, I'm not going to say what, from that movie is also in the book I am writing.

Thank you for being patient with me, and please R&R.


	20. Chapter 20

It hasn't been as long as last time, *sigh of relief*, and I'm still getting back into the mind-set of this story. Happy New Years, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and happy birthday for anyone like myself who's 'fortunate' enough to have their birthday in this busy season.

I hope you like this next chapter.

* * *

Bumblebee was actually first to notice the approaching vehicle. And through the link, he'd pointed it out to me. And as the Epps family noticed it pulling up to the house, everything fell silent.

A million things could happen. The government, for that's surely a government-issued SUV, could get angry and attack. They could keep their heads and rationally re-kick the Autobots off. Or, it could be a Decepticon. They're not exactly against disguises like this.

Bumblebee and I should probably hide. We should run. We should get out of here and leave the others to cover for us. We should probably at least have the decency to pretend to hide. Yes, because answering the door when someone knocked was probably the worst thing to do in this situation.

A finger pointed at me and a thumb jerked upwards. Beyond the hand, a vaguely familiar voice greeted.

"Bang, you're dead."

I blinked, leaning to one side to see their face. The man, with mostly grey hair, wore some uniform. Judging from the overall style, it's a military official's uniform. But they've changed in twenty years, about as much as Seymour Simmons has.

"You?" I felt my mouth fall open. He adjusted his hand to pretend to shoot my face again.

"Bang, bang, bang. I just killed you four times, kid. What are you trying to prove?" he demanded, moving the tip of his finger to go from my brain to my heart, and my neck. He looked past me. "Amateurs, still. You, you're supposed to be a super smart alien. You letting this kid kill himself? You're all idiots." He pushed his way in.

Brilliantly put, the first to respond was Fred.

"Who're you?"

"I'm the guy who found your phone call. It should be needless to say, that we found it. Any phone call to those two is monitored. And you didn't even bother to use a voice modulator? You're sneaky enough to stay hidden all this time, even I lost your trail, and you throw it all away for small talk with the folks?"

"Uh, this is Simmons. He's the ex-S-7 guy we told you about." I supplied, still sort of in a daze. He's here, and, the government knows we're here?

"I'm flattered. Now get out of here before a dozen other black SUVs fill this drive way." He poked me in the chest.

"Shouldn't you be too old to be annoying?" I muttered as Simmons sustained a light glare from Bumblebee as he pulled be back. Simmons caught on and raised an eyebrow.

"There something going on between you two? Of course there is, you're still a kid. Now get out of here." he insisted, pointing at the back door.

"We can't just leave. How will the others know where we went?" Bumblebee objected.

"Either you go now, or you get caught. And let me tell you, NO ONE is happy." he crossed his arms.

"But, where do we go?" I questioned. "They'll check the base first. We can't go there."

"I don't know, that aint my problem. But I'll stay here and say you were gone when I got here. And you all," he pointed at the Eppses. "Will and Bobby went bowling. The girl, what's her name?"

"Annabelle." Shaleeka supplied.

"Annabelle. She's gone with them. You all are here with Sarah, it's someone's birthday tomorrow, and Sarah's gone shopping. That's your story. Got it? You seen a brown-haired kid run through the house, and right out the back door, but that's it. You don't know his name, you've never seen him before in your life, and you've never heard of anything you've learned today. Got it?"

They nodded, you have to give him credit for being just as bossy as before. He looked at us.

"What are you still doing here?"

Bee grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me towards the backdoor. Once I started to run after him, he disappeared and an engine started outside. Moments later, I was jumping into the front seat. I was here only a little while ago, but now, I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like every time I was in a vehicle at all these last twenty years, only now, it was joined by a sense of adventure I hadn't had in forever. That feeling I first got when I was being chased by Satin's Camaro, and then by Barricade. I had it when I ran through Mission City with the Allspark, and when I climbed out the upstairs window to escape the kitchen. While I hid from the Decepticons and Optimus tried to fight them off, while the entire world wanted my head and we camped out in an old business district. Running through Egypt, to bring Prime back, I had this feeling in my stomach, and when I watched the Autobots leave on their ship, that feeling left with them.

Now it's back, and I remembered how I could do all that. Where my courage came from, and how I KNEW the symbols in my head had lead us to the Matrix when everything around us told us we had failed.

I gripped the wheel as he jerked it to the left, speeding us both towards the woods and weaving between the trees like there was road. He didn't hold back, making our escape. He could tell as well as I could that the old Sam is back. At least for now.

"Where are we going?" I asked, easily sitting up-right with all his jerking in and out of the trees. If he'd have driven like this twenty-two years ago, I'd have a concussion and there'd be a Sam-size head mark on the window.

"West."

* * *

Alright, I know it's super short, but I'm going to be completely honest. I could not make it any longer. This story is very exciting for me, because I have no idea where it came from, or where it's going. Just to clarify a couple things in simple terms, for myself as much as anyone else who may want a summary of what's going on:

All the Autobots and NEST soldiers are scattered across the U.S. and cannot be contacted at this time. The Epps family has to fend off the government by themselves while Simmons, now about sixty, acts as a self-created spy on 'the inside' for the Autobots. The government knows that at least Sam is on Earth and alive, more than likely the Autobots are too. And in addition, they have weapons from technology that even the Cybertronian abandoned because it was too powerful. Sam and Bumblebee have to find somewhere to hide or run from the government, at least until they know why the Decepticons are suddenly and forebodingly coming back to Earth and stop them. Am I missing anything? Oh, yes. And Sam's parents are on a frantic and ridiculous search to find him, probably not caring to be subtle or even thinking that the government is also looking for him right now.

And with all of that, what could possibly happen next? Where the slag are they going to hide? The answers to these questions, I have no bloody idea.

R&R


	21. Chapter 21

Sorry for the way long wait. Writer's block sucks and I've started my novel! YAY! Of course, I'm probably going to dump it and start over. Again. Beginnings are the worst for me, if you haven't noticed from the stories I write on here. All I'm going to say is, the antagonist finally has motive and her brother has a personality. Oh joy. I'm so excited, it's so great, SQUEELS!

Deep breaths. Breath. Okay.

I've gotten two requests for what to happen in this story, and loving them both, I did my best. To 'human needs love' and 'TXVR6', I tried and I hope this is what you were expecting.

Hope you like it.

* * *

"It's a hundred a month, utilities are on you." The man looked my ID over. If I ever actually meet Wheeljack, I'll have to tell him I love him. That card, Bee made it the same way he makes his holoform, and it checks out completely.

"Done." I grinned, pulling out another magic card. This one, however is real. Or, it's a replica of a real cared. We decided Will wouldn't mind too much.

"Alright, looks good here." he handed both back and I put them in my pocket, then took the keys. "Next month's rent is the end of the month. Have any problems, come back up here and ask for James Dallas."

"Will do." I agreed, turning to walk out. The road was somewhat quiet, and it looked like this hill was half the town.

"You got it?" Bee asked, starting the engine. I nodded, dropping the keys on his dash.

"We're all booked for a month. I hope we don't need to stay that long though." He pulled out and turned to roll down the hill. "And if we need any help, we just need to return here and ask for one James Dallas."

"Great." we could both joke around, but it feels like we're going through motions. We were both on edge, and even though we lost our persuers a day and sevral states ago, the danger was not all behind. We had to stay under the radar, which isn't very easy. Being in the middle of some woods is the first place they're going to look. So, we stopped in some no-name town half-way through the country.

I admired our chosen safe house. Not thirty yards from the chinese resaurant Lucky Garden, where the trees were only just dense enough for Bee to transform and not be seen from the road, was a mini-trailer park. Or what used to be one. Now, it's more like one big overgrown garden. And I'm sure I know why this trailer went so cheap.

We pulled up in the back, just in case. I got out, and waited for him to transform before moving closer. He leaned against the side of the home, helping me up onto his knee. I mirrored his position, crossing my legs and looking right back. So here we sat, in the itchy grass of the uncut midwest, in the middle of the day, without word from anyone on the siduation. And let me tell you, it is not great to sit here knowing nothing but the tech the government currently has. Not good at all.

"Are you alright, Sam?" Bee asked, worriedly. I looked at him in confusion. For all that's happened, I thought I was holding up pretty well.

"Yeah, why?"

To answer, he did the equivillant of raising an arm to show what he held, bringing it to light when I hadn't even noticed him reach for it. My own uneasiness.

"I'm fine. Come on, you're uptight too." I stated pointedly. He nodded, giving in to that. "Besides, we should be fine here, right? And, for whatever reason no one checked in with us last night, it won't happen tonight. We should just, relax."

About four minutes went by before he spoke up.

"And how do you sugest we 'relax'?" he demanded skeptically.

"I don't know, I haven't 'relaxed' in over two decades. I assumed you knew what how to."

Another quiet minute before, an arteficial calmness started to come over me.

"How's that?" he questioned me and I realized it's from the link. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, though. It felt too fake, too forced.

I pulled out the picture viewer out of habit and the fake emotion crumbled under Bumblebee's recognition.

"Oh, it's in great shape." he complimented. I nodded and switched it on, going to one picture in perticular. The image showed Skids pinned below Mudflap, and they'd both stopped mid-fight to wave at us.

"That's relaxing." I mused.

"Here." He offered to take it. I handed it over and remembered that even though my signal was the only it would recognize from the sensory pad on the bottom, most of the Autobots could acess it. How do you think the pictures got on there in the first place?

He must be uploading more images, because when he handed it back, I was met with a new image when I turned it on. I was there, in that brainless moment when I practically passed out on Optimus's front seat. Was he there? Or did Optimus somehow take that from that angle?

I switched to the next. which was even more recent. Our reunition, then, with everyone else. the last of the new ones, however, didn't belong. It was a picture of Earth. It was so far away, the entire planet fit into one holographic picture. It was receding even smaller, I'm sure, when he was looking at the real thing.

"My last glimps at the planet." Bee explained. "I decided to keep that one." I nodded, quickly moving on. But, I knew what he meant. Even know, when I've been with them for a little while again and it's obvious it's not going to be over soon, the memory of my own last glimps of anything Cyberonian, save for the picture device and whatever useless leftovers found around the base, was still vivid in my own memories.

"What's happened since then?" I asked, wanting to change the subject.

"The Decepticons have gone quiet. Every once in a while, they attack, but it's like they're avoiding battle as much as we are." he mused. I turned the picture viewer off and held it in my hands. "So we've gone on the offensive. Just a couple months ago, we've tracked them to one of their primary bases. We found readings of extensive energon resivours, and before we found the Nemesis on it's way here, we were making plans to raid it."

"How much energon? I thought that was rare by now." Without the Allspark.

"Enough to bring dozens of sparklings to age, and run the Ark for three times as long as we've been gone." I whistled, the fact I was the only human that meant anything to was not lost to me.

"How'd they get so much?"

"It's likely they've been hoarding it for centuries. Optimus says that there's no way they would have let us find it. It was probably a diversion, that they let it slip. To lead us away from Earth."

"They weren't counting on you being in the neighborhood, hu?" I smiled. He was here in the solar system the entire time, keeping an eye on the area. "Why are they hoarding so much energon?"

"I don't know that one." he admitted. "That's two mysteries. Why do they have that much energon, and why are they here? Maybe they're related? You may not have been public, but you have been here on Earth. Have you noticed anything Cybertronian come up at all? Anything that would have made the Decepticons notice the planet once more?"

I sighed and rubbed my neck. Bee was immediatly aware my answer was negative, but I answered anyways.

"Well, you realize, my only contact with anything beyond the trees around the base for the last two decades is Will. And, we didn't really talk about current events. I couldn't even tell you who the president is right now, or what wars the world has gotten in. Honestly, if you asked me a couple days ago if Mexico had taken over Texas, I couldn't tell you 'no'."

"Surely you didn't confine yourself that completely. Sam, that couldn't have been good for you." he fretted. Yes, my social skills are probably a little lax, considering I haven't spoken this much in forever, and most of the time I've been sitting back listening to everyone else talk. Put me back into high school and I wouldn't last an hour.

"I wasn't exactly in the mood to associate with the human species, though. Or, probably, in the proper mental health." I shifted nervously. He was staring at me like he was trying to read my thoughts, which is pretty darn close. He was pretty much scannin everything, everywhere, on my side of the link. I sat patiently for a minute, he was positive he'd find some crack in my composition.

"Bee, I'm fine." I insisted, trying to slow him down a bit, but, on this non-phisical level that connected our life forces, he passed right through me. I blinked, and he stopped.

"So for the last twenty years, You've done nothing but stared at the same walls? And you're going to tell me that didn't effect you at all?"

"Well, I've lost twenty years of my life in a stalemate, but, it's over, isn't it?" I pointed out. If one thing I learned, the last is over, so however much you loved or hated it, it isn't coming back, and it isn't a part of the now.

"Something must have happened during this time, other wise you would have just, faded. Tell me, what have you been doing all this time?" he insisted. He was getting pushy, and for some reason, I was getting irritated. I kno it's mine, because when Bee felt it, he backed off immediatly, but still waited for an answer.

"Not much. Looking back now, when day and night blended and I sat for hours, that's probably because this link was stretched too far, before it got a chance to actually be there." I decided. Actually, I wonder if the days when I couldnt muscle bring myself to move a muscle he was farther away, as opposed to the days when I found myself wandering to the Lennox house for human interaction. "I don't think the isolation bothered me at all. It was my choice, after all."

"That's terrible. I thought you at least kept on a life. This link was a terrible mistake, if it put you through this much." he shook his head. I felt my own heartbeat pick up, getting more irritated.

"What did you expect, for me to keep going through my old life, and when it was obvious I wasn't aging, move and start over again?" I demanded.

"No, the link was stretched for me too. I tried to get permission to return to Earth for you, but Prime wouldn't let any of us return. They had security so tight we couldn't send a single transmission in. And I knew the spark pain would be worse for you, because you didn't know what it was, but I tried not to think about it. I am so sorry, Sam." he insisted. I could feel his genuine sorrow and concern, but his regret made me more angry. I'm not sure why.

"For the last twenty years, I lived. Okay? Nothing else really matters. If it weren't for this link, you know I might not even be alive. Somehow, I doubt the government would just forget about me."

"Sam?" he started to probe over the link again, fully aware something was bothering me. I locked my jaw and waited, partially curious to see if he could figure it out.

Then, suddenly, he poked somewhere he shouldn't have and I yawned.

"You're tierd." he accused.

"Am not." I crossed my arms childishly. But, through the link, he poked again and I resisted another yawn.

"Yes, you are." he insisted pointedly. "We've had arough fourty-eight hours, and this isn't a subject that agrees with you." Alright, so maybe someone that not only has acess to your emotions directly, but also trained to be your guardian is not the best person to argue about what you're feeling with.

"It's only, what-"

"Nine-thirty. A perfectly acceptable hour for you to recharge."

There was a moment of silence before I voiced something we were both worried about.

"What if Prime hails?"

A longer silence followed and we shared an understanding. He isn't going to. He didn't last night.

"I'm staying up. I can go nearly twice as long as you without recharging if I have to. I'm not a scout for nothing." he urged, offering a hand to me. Last night, I slept in the back seat in a parking lot. The night before, I slept over his spark. And the night before that, I slept on the Lennox's lawn. Three completely different nights, and now there's a fourth to add.

I didn't climb over to his palm.

"I'm not tierd." I insisted. I can't sleep now, not here in some no-name town when we have no idea what's going on or what to do.

"We'll figure it out in the morning." Bee insisted, scooping me up now. I groaned, feeling far to anxious and, bluntly put, terrified of what's going to happen. My mind calmed over and Bee paused silently. "I know you're refusing to talk to me about the last couple of years. And you aren't getting away with it tomorrow."

"Whatever." I sighed, stubbornly insisting that I didn't need to sleep. He poked at my drowsiness again, and exerimenting, he fueled it. Obviously he cheated, because I was out immediatly. Out, but not blacked out. He was far too gentle about it, and I slept with vivid dreams.

I was sitting in the abandoned medical bay, of all places. It's deathly silent, and it felt like walls were crushing me. My own mind once again a jumbled mess. By some unknown force, I was compelled to close my eyes. I wnt to see this place like it was before. Ratchet, behind the berth, waving whatever tool he happened to have at whoever stood in the door way. Lights on the walls, one from the ceiling shining on his work like a spot light. Paint held firm and there was that eternal acidic smell mixed with warmth.

But, when I closed my eyes, the only memory I had to replace where I stood was no different than if I opened my eyes. Near phisical pain struck through me as I realized, I can't remember them. They're leaving me again. Where is that always present sense of hesitency and fear when I step in here to 'bother Ratchet while he works'?

I opened my eyes, I don't even know where I am any more.

Backing up fearfully and emotionlessly, I ran from the enormous room. Down the halls, around the corners, dead end after dead end.

I'm lost. In my own home, I'm lost. Where am I? Why did my feet bring me to this room, instead of the outdoors? Why can I not escape this base?

Base? This is a base. The NEST base. Where the Autobots lived.

I felt pain, this is Bumblebee's room. Despite how I miss them all, for some reason, it's Bumblebee that I keep crawling back to.

Closing my eyes to remember spending he night here, watching a movie with my best friend... What movie? Where was the screen? Where did we sit? Who was I with?

No! I can't remember, I've only regained my memories to lose them again! How long has it been since I ran from the other room? What room was it? Hours?

My eyes opened to sunlight, and just like the time I'd just spent in the last, I found my muscles unable to move an inch more. I laid frozen with the ever fading memory of the Autobots there on the top of my mind.

"Sam." The fading memory, yet here I lay on Bumblebee's lap, with him waiting there attentivly in the link, wanting to cosol me from whatever nightmare I'd had.

"You wanted to know about my ime alone on the base?" I spoke quietly, still unnerved. I couldn't move from my laying position to even realize where exactly I laid.

He didn't answer verbally, but I could feel his encouragment.

"I was in a cycle, driving myself mad and coming to my sense to remember everything only to go mad again. It was imposible to get over, every time as terrifying as the last. Near the end, I think because you guys were on your way here, I stayed sane a bit longer. But I knew I'd lose it all over again."

Silence. I could hear children shouting far off. I vaguely remembered there being some memorial park across the street from the Chinese reteraunt. There's really nothing to get up for, so the fact I didn't want to get up bothered neither of us.

"Bee?" I shifted a bit to look up at him. It hit me that before, my just laying here would have been weird. I sat on his knee sometimes, on his shoulder more often, but this would have never happened. But now, probably because of the link, neither of us gave it a second thought. Well, except for my noting it now.

"Hmm?" he wirred. That's right, I'd had a question. I had to retrace my train of thought, revercing my actions to help. Now that I couldn't actually see my position again, I remembered what had originally sparked my notice.

"Are you alright?" I was picking up on an something unfamiliar from him. It wasn't a negative something, so I didn't stress about it too much.

"You know with this link, things aren't going to be the same as they were before." He must have been thinking along the same lines as me. Honestly, I was content to sit here. I felt oddly in place; such a contradiction to my nightmare. One I accepted greatfully.

"I know it." I sighed, probably too relaxed for our siduation. But I couldn't help it. Maybe Bee's lulling me to keep me calm, so there's no repeats of last night. I do hate fighting with my best friend, even though it was more of a bad-attitude-Sam-knows-whats-guardian siduation than an arguem-

I felt a pressure on the back of my neck that moved down swiftly and lightly, lifting half-way down my back.

For a moment, I was just in shock. Bumblebee was inspecting and watching me, waiting for a reaction. He hadn't been thinking along the lines I had at all!

Blinking, I remembered when he first told me about the link, subconciously made, never would have done it on purpose without my permission, all the stuff I'd tuned out while I was drunk on their being back.

The pressure returned and repeated itself, Bumblebee's hesitency fading the longer I laid there unblinking.

"Bee?" my voice was shaky, and a thousand thoughts went through my head. What the slag? Where did this come from? Stop! Why? Let me up. Wait a minute here. After evrything we're going through right now, you're going to go like that on me? I didn't even have a clue that he would ever even think like that.

The pressure on my back went a third time. I snapped out of it and shook my head, pushing myself up.

"What on Earth is going through your mind right now? I'm getting down-" that good mood I'd been in after waking from that nightmare to the comfort of my best friend's presence was completely. I just don't understand how he could ever...

"Stop." Bee pleaded, reaching out to me, with the same hand he just pet me with. Wait, am I still in a nightmare? This is completely out of character for him.

I flinched away and he pulled back. I moved to climb down.

"Stop." he insisted again. This time, there was power behind is word. Or rather, simultaniously, his half of the link gave a swift and tight squeeze and I lost all motor controls. My widened to realize what he'd just done as he shifted me back to the same comfortable position as before. His hand ran down my back once more and I was still immobile. I couldn't even speak, though that may be from the shock.

His hand ran down my spine in a constant rythm, and I noticed that unfamiliar something I'd picked up on him earlier seemed contented now. But my position laying here on his lap was no longer a thing that deserved no thought... Or is it?

I couldn't move or resist, so I was left to lay there, but it felt no more awkward than before. Out of curiosity, I closed my eyes to consentrate. What was it I had thought earlier? About this probably having to do with the link? Primus, Bee was giving me a warning when he said things wouldn't be the same.

I took a deep breath and relaxed against me will, but very much so free of his. Wait, I can move again. He was hesitent again, waiting for my reaction at my newfound freedom again. My only thought was, Optimus would be so mad if he knew what Bee just did.

Of course, by now, I didn't do anything about it. I probably wanted to get up less than I had ealier. This is definitially the link making me enjoy this, and it's probably the link making him do it. Probably... I couldn't get rid of that seedling of doubt.

"Bee?" I spoke up again. He got real worried, even though surely he knows I'm butter right now. He stopped stroking my back. If I try to escape again, he isn't going to stop me this time. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Sam. I just, whatever you dreampt last night must have been aweful, and, I was just thinking about how I'm not going to let somethinng like that happen again because... well, because you're my human now." he admitted, obviously apologizing only for freaking me out. I can see where he's going with that though.

"Let's not tell the others about that."

* * *

To make sure we're all on the same page, Sam has not completely recovered from the last twenty years, even though there is a dramatic improvement. So while Bumblebee is sitting there freaking out at actually hearing how lonely his human was, Sam has the lingering effects of several mental breakdowns. So, even with Bumblebee there with him, you can't expect Sam to act like it never happened. They can try, but you can't erase those twenty years. Not to mention the link itself is sort of like a rubber band stretched way out for way too long, then suddenly the ends are brought closer. It'll heal, but it's still a little lose and weak.

And the little thing when Sam woke up, well, all I have to justify that is the link again. It is a pet link, and it's going to change their personalities. At different speeds, depending on how willing they are. Therefore, Bumblebee got to that point a little faster than Sam, though he wasn't far behind. And, come on. I got the idea when my dog fell asleep on my lap, and I couldn't help but to abandon my story for a few minutes and pet her.

The next chapter won't take as long, I promise. New tablet, longer writing hours, and thus quicker chapters. I'm actually also working on one for After Cybertron. Also, I know where this is going, and personally, I think it's a big twist you'll enjoy.

R&R


	22. Chapter 22

Again, my apologies for the long wait. Originally, I was just going to stop halfway through here, but it was too short and there wasn't enough action. I know where we're going now, and I'm about ready to get us there. So expect the plot to be a bit straighter from now on

Hope you like it.

* * *

Sitting by an ancient trailer behind a Chinese restaurant is kind of depressing, so we chanced it by taking a drive. But we kept a sure eye out for cop cars and black SUVs. It wasn't doing either of us any good to stay here though.

"Let look for a secluded place." I insisted, an old bank went by on one side and a row of buildings on the other, including a library and a small post office. The hill curved down steeply again after that. We pulled to a stop at the bottom, at a street named Kickapoo. We could either keep going on into town, turn left up another hill, or right to go down the hill. I remember crossing a river just to the north of here, this road probably leads down to it.

He was catching my drift and turned right. The streets were somewhat empty at this hour. So we didn't have to be too careful as we turned through a small line of trees and he let me out.

"Why do you think no one's contacted us?" I finally asked the question when he went to sit on the pavement that went right into the water. He picked me up automatically and set me on his knee once he had his legs crossed.

"It must not be convenient. Maybe they'll be discovered if the try to contact us." he tried to assure me.

"But, what if that's not the case? I hate sitting here not knowing." He knew exactly how I felt. Through the link, he felt the same way. But, what can we do?

"You need to trust Optimus in doing this. He's done more risky missions." I know that's true, but, if he was wrong, then we're sitting here for no reason.

"We can't just sit here though. I mean, couldn't we try t meet them somewhere? Did you look at any of the addresses?"

"Relax, Sam." he insisted, stroking down my back once like he's been doing it for twenty years. Against my better judgment, I calmed down. "Give them on more day, alright? Then we'll worry." One more day, what does that matter? It's already been two, hasn't it?

"Third time's the charm, right?" I sighed, giving in. "But, I don't like this at all. Things shouldn't be so quiet."

"It's a little unnerving." he agreed. "We haven't made the news, least."

"Small town like this, I'd bet we could hang out here for a while. Maybe we should make a base here, if for whatever reason Earth becomes more hospitable." I did what he wanted and changed the subject.

"It'll happen eventually, I'm sure. But this little event won't help our case." He nodded.

"There is no case, they're scared of you, and that's all there is to it." he laughed, and even with the link, I had no idea why. "What?"

"Why would they be scared of us and not the Decepticons?"

"Because the Decepticons would only destroy and kill. You guys could change things and make an impact. You know what I think would happen if the world knew you existed? I think it'd be way too easy for them to accept you and like you. Think about it, the government has a hard job in trying to keep order, run things, and keep people happy. And they hate change. America sits there, not liking anything that they're doing as usual, it'd be way too easy for you guys to sway the public for whatever you want."

"Do you really think that's what it is?" he questioned skeptically.

"*PFT*, no. Maybe eventually, Optimus is very persuasive after all. They just fear you guys more because you guys know humans and Earth better. You have the connections. That, and there's Ratchet. He's pretty scary." I rolled my eyes.

"But they know us, they know how to stop us if we ever tried anything." he pointed out.

"No. Will, Michaela, Epps, and I know how to stop you. You really think they ever paid enough attention to know what peeves you guys? They'd probably remember your guys' mission is to protect life and hold someone hostage against you." That would only piss them off. I remember way back when S7 took Michaela and I. Optimus didn't hang back for fear of them hurting us or us getting caught in the crossfire.

"No, Sam. They'd go after you. They know how much we care for you, and it'd be easier to take you out alone than all of us." He shook his head. Yeah, they couldn't even feign being uninterested. "I wouldn't doubt it if that's their plan now. To focus on getting you to use as leverage to get us to leave."

"I'm easiest to get alone, but with you, not so much." I grinned.

"Not a chance." he agreed. I his overprotective-ness flare up and I rolled my eyes. This link is so cool. And this river is brown. Was it raining recently? Rain is a bad sign, so is it a good sign we missed it? Or, does that not matter, and either way something bad is going to happen?

"Bee, if someone doesn't contact us tonight, we're going out there." I could feel his mental sigh.

"Sam..." but he agreed. I probably couldn't hold him to an agreement through the link like this, but I doubt he'd go back on it anyways. "We're probably going to have to face the government eventually, do you even know who the president is?"

"Ahhmm..." I scraped my brain for a name Will might have mentioned back when I didn't give a slag.

"His name is Karl Berg Andrews. I'm sure you're going to need to at least act like you know what's going on when we meet them again."

"Why? They think I left with you all, probably. Either way, how am I supposed to know president Anderson?"

"Andrews." he shook his head. Sorry, old habits die hard. It seems I still don't give a slag. are you or are you not our ambassador?"

"We're still keeping that up?" After all this time, and the hostility here, what use is an ambassador? I mean, they catch us, kick us off planet, what else is there to it? "Honestly, what's so important about knowing all this, especially when it's for, like, ten minutes?"

"Those are an important ten minutes. What if we prove their thoughts by not even bothering to know their chosen leader's name? How would that reflect all of us, and their thoughts on us? It's always important to keep all formalities and to always abide by their rules. We're long last introductions, we should know them already. We are on their planet, after all."

I stared up at him. Looks like there is a method to his madness, not that I agree with it.

"Do you even think this Andrews guy knows YOUR name?" he shook his head in agreeance.

"But we're not on Cybertron, we're on Earth. Their land, their territory. We are the visitors, the guests. It's rude either way not to care, but it's unacceptable for us."

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Right. You know, that only works if they're not too lazy to attack." I crossed my arms, stubborn. What does it say about us if we just roll over under their feet?

"Sam, our policies haven't changed. Why does this confuse you so suddenly?" he questioned, brushing his hand down my back lightly.

"I don't trust them." I gave him a look. Isn't it obvious?

"They don't trust us either." he pointed out. He nudged me over the link and I started to realize what he meant. Someone has to be the better man, to make things work out. Just because you have your feelings hurt doesn't mean hurting theirs will make the situation better. I bet, the only reason the government hasn't pointed guns at them is because they're so above reproach.

"I still don't like them." I groaned. He smiled.

"You don't have to, but as long as you don't give them reason to oppose you, the time when we can return to Earth will be closer." Now those are words than I understand.

"Hey." I probably have some attention disorder, because from out of nowhere, another issue hit me. We only grazed it a while ago, but, this isn't good. "If they are making weapons out of the Solar Harvester, are you guys no longer going to have the upper hand?"

"Don't worry about that too much, Sam. The technology is what they're getting from it, not the power. Without energon, there's no way they'll make a weapon that powerful. Whatever residue might be in the Harvester, they wouldn't even be able to use anyways." he brushed it off, but I had to wonder, what if they could? I remember how Ironhide had explained how the energon can be present to power something like that, but never used. The science is beyond even present-day Earth.

"What do you think about scoping out the rest of the town?" he suggested. I hesitated before nodding, alright. Good escape routes, best public places to avoid a scene, and where we might be able to hide in case. Within moments, we were cruising the town, checking out every turn and road. It was so small that we passed the movie store three times. When we finally called it quite, we probably knew how to get around as well as the locals.

"And if we have to split up?" he's been questioning me on every plan we could come up with.

"Make a detour to the Elementary soccer field."

"If we can't make it that way?"

"Memorial Park bike path by the garage." I recited easily enough.

I glanced at his clock, it's rush hour now. Which meant couple more cars on the road. The fast food joints on this side of town were packed, which probably means the Chinese restaurant is packed, so we best be careful. We were just coming back from a look-see at the apartments on the edge of town, Prospector's point. This is the only lights in town, and they've been red every time we came through.

But, we're not in a hurry. A couple cars crossed from the ramp off the high way and sent straight across to the fast food plaza to our right, and there were two other cars on the other side of the street from us, waiting for a green just like us.

"Behind us." Bee pointed out to me with warning. I looked through the rearview mirror to see what might be a black SUV coming towards us. I bit my lip, hoping it wasn't. They're coming from the East, that's west.

"Just a van." I shook my head and looked at the red light all the same. Is this longer than usual, or is it that bad feeling I'm starting to get in my stomach? Was it something I've seen?

"What's wrong, Sam?" Bee asked, worried. I didn't answer right away, glancing around in search of whatever was bothering me.

And I was met with a man staring straight at me from the black van, now beside us. He was dark-skinned and rather heavy, and probably about as old as Will, if not a year or two younger. And behind him was a girl, same age, with blond hair and a serious expression.

No way do they see me through the window.

The light turned green, and they didn't budge. Bee took off back towards our trailer.

"Sam?" he repeated.

"Oh, nothing." Two names were fighting their ways to my mouth. "Only, we've been recognized by Maggie Madsen and Glen Whitman." He sped up.

"They're still working for the government? We have to move, now." he demanded.

"We have to give our leave to the owner, so he doesn't keep charging Will." I objected. "I don't think they're following us."

"They couldn't have seen you, I have the windows tinted." he realized.

"They didn't have to, Bee. No doubt they know we're this direction, if they are with the government. And, you're pretty easy to recognize. They looked surprised, though. So they couldn't have been here looking for us." I mused. Which means the government doesn't necessarily know we're actually here. If we can get out quickly enough...

"That's them, isn't it?" Bee interrupted my train of thought. I checked the rear view mirror, the black van was gaining quickly. Following us, on the turn inward to the high school, then back the original direction like a flattened 's'. They were nearly caught up as we reached the bottom of the hill, at Kickapoo street. Keep going straight, through town.

"Sam, we're going to have to just skip town. We'll take care of Will's charges later." Bumblebee warned me. We had tried to keep under the radar, never speeding, but to lose these two, we're going to have to.

"Wait," I twisted around in the seat to abandon mirrors. Windows are tinted anyways, no one can see I'm not the one driving. "They're slowing down."

Bee followed suit, surprised. We were both confused. "And they put on their blinker... into the Chinese restaurant. Bee, what do you think?"

We were gliding by the first entrance, and the black van went in to park by a white van. that was the only other vehicle parked in front, so it isn't quite 'packed'.

"I can get you out of there easy. Let's see what they want." he decided to agree. As a rule, I don't trust anyone with a badge. But, Simmons is apparently still on our side, I cared to hope he wasn't the only one. For all we know, they might not even be with the government, and just want to know what the slag we're doing here.

Bee pulled in on the other side, cutting the engine quickly and stressing onto me the need to be careful. Sit by a window, near the door.

"I'll be fine." I assured. If they're after us, they wouldn't do it alone, right now. I know neither of them are weapon users, they're scientists. And, Bumblebee's right there.

"Hello, how can I help you?" A Chinese lady greeted me.

"Ah, I'm with them." I nodded to the two of them as they walked into the buffet side. The other family had the far window seat, next to the emergency door and the rolling coat rack. When I rounded the corner, they were already sitting together in the booth between the family of three and the wall. I took a seat with my back to the wall.

"You haven't aged a day." Maggie noted.

"Yeah, funny thing, that. What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I was going to ask you that." Glen objected. "You're the one who isn't supposed to be here."

"And where am I supposed to be?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes. "Area 51?"

"You got us all wrong, Alien Boy." Maggie put her hands up. "I figured you were more on planet 51. When I heard you and your buddies were back, they put us on over time. What are YOU doing here?" So they do work for the government.

"The enemy," I tried to keep generic names and words, in case we were over heard, "They aren't going to leave you alone just because we're gone. I don't really want to answer your questions unless you answer mine. My guardian is outside right now, so don't try anything sneaky." I warned.

'Lighten up, Alien Boy. We're on your side. Not all of us wanted you gone." Maggie insisted. They even think I left with them. "The head honchos know some of us are pro-you guys, but they don't have any names. If they did, we'd be fired. You're sure lucky it was us coming through, instead of Veronica or Gary."

"Yeah. They're out for your head, Sam." Glen agreed.

"Of course they are. How do I know you're on my side. Who else is there?" I demanded. The lady apered out of nowhere with menus. I shook my head.

"I'm buying, get something to eat." Maggie insisted.

"No, I'm not hungry. I've recently lost my appetite." I insisted all the same. The lady nodded and sent to the next table to take the old man's plate and the old woman's bowl as the teenage girl kept on her soup and the old man started a new plate. The woman was complaining about blood sugar, from what I could hear. Simple life, nothing alien involved at all.

"Fine. Simmons, you remember him, he's still got your back. You sure turned him around." Glen gave up a man we already knew to be on our side. "Oh, and that Leo kid. He's got some internet moderator job or something, but we've got him hiding a few underground things about some of us Autobot supporters. Your parents are members, you know. And your girlfriend, too."

"Mom and Dad?" I was surprised. And Michaela? What did we leave behind? All those years on base, and there was still support?

"They're not stupid you know. All those fliers, they know you're bound to either come back one day or pass by and hack the internet to see they're still waiting to see you again." Maggie explained.

"How come Will never told me about all this stuff?"

"Will isn't a member. He has no idea. So you're saying they're back?" Glen leaned forward. I nodded cautiously. "So, what, we're going into World War IV?"

"War of the Worlds l, more like it." Maggie insisted.

"No, no. No war, there will not be an fighting between humans and Autobots. Unless it's Ironhide and Will, they'll probably duke it out pretty soon here." I insisted. This is everything we're trying to avoid. "Wait, four?"

"That's right. You weren't here for number three. Long story short, our flag has fifty-one stars and Spain is our buddy now. But that isn't important right now. Kid, you better figure things out and get out of here as fast as you can. What they're planning, it isn't good for you." Maggie insisted.

"There's no way they're taking me hostage. Bee would never let it happen. I think you guys are on our side, but this meeting never happened, right?"

"Don't worry about it, we come here every time we get back. Good food." Glen brushed it off. "I don't suggest you stay in town for very long."

"Why not?" I leaned forward.

Suddenly, the old woman laughed loudly with the owner, who had her hand on the girl's shoulder. The mood broke, but not my curiosity.

"What's going on here?"

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to release that information. Nothing good will come of it. You guys just need to get out of here." Maggie was suddenly very serious. "Bumblebee, I know you're listening. I don't know where the others are, but you need to get Sam out of here."

"Guys, we need to figure out what's going on." I insisted. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Sorry, we can't. But, everyone knows you're on Earth. I identified the landing points myself." Maggie shook her head. "If the enemy hasn't landed yet, you have no argument. When do you expect them to get here?"

Bumblebee was quietly observing from back of my mind, but now he was urging me back. I stood.

"We have an impasse then." I stated formally. "We both have questions we want answered, and we'll both have the find the answers ourselves."

"I don't suggest it, but we won't stop you." Glen insisted.

"I hope you don't get in trouble if they find out you let us go." I bid before leaving. Bee and I both kept silent until we took a detour around back to the trailer, so we weren't noticed.

"You scanned their van?" I assumed.

"There are no devices inside to worry about." he assured. "But here are traces of energon in the back."

* * *

Can you see where it's all going to fall together? If you can't, hope it's a pleasant surprise. It's all connected. What? Nearly everything you don't know.

R&R


	23. Chapter 23

I got it out sooner, are you proud of me? I sure am. Things are picking up, and this chapter is even more packed. No more fillers for now. Hope you like it.

* * *

With it being a new moon, and as far from town as we were, Bumblebee had to shine his lights to see where we were going. We were just east of the little Spanish-named town, in the valley we went through when we first entered. Only this time, he wasn't in his alt form, and we weren't on the road.

"Anything yet?" I looked up to him.

Bee shook his head. "Either their security is remarkably more efficient than it used to be to hide ENERGON, or we aren't anywhere near it."

We waited until night to investigate, but we should have hurried back to the trailer. He could have tracked their van from our trailer, but they were gone by the time we got back. The family in the white van was only just leaving. We'd probably already know what's going on in the small town of De Soto if we'd gotten there on time. Instead, we're out where in pretty much the only part of the area we haven't yet searched.

"Are we sure they weren't just passing through?" I objected.

"Their battery was nearly empty, and the first place we checked was the gas station." he shook his head, pointing me another direction so I'd staying ahead of him. "No trace of them. If they went there to recharge, they'd still have been there." he was thinking hard, trying to figure out what's going on here. At the same time, he was scanning the area for hidden signs that something is hidden here in the trees.

Which pretty much meant my searching by eye was pointless. Nevertheless, I was down here to look at every tree from a different angle. But, I can multi-task too. I was poking around through the link again, carefully avoiding the spot in my own side that he kept in a tight grip. I learned my lesson.

"So now all cars are full electric?" I asked, remembering way back when I receded from society electric cars were either scoffed at or half electric and very expensive.

"Most. From what I've seen, at least." he admitted, sweeping the lights about seven feet in front of me.

"That's so cool. I haven't even noticed the difference." All the other vehicles on the streets didn't look or sound weird at all. Then again, when was the last time I was around a gas-guzzler? Even Will's truck, which I did ride in a couple days ago, didn't seem off. It would have been electric too. Old fashioned compared to all these others, but no doubt the engine had been changed out.

I felt his wave of irritation before he sighed. I looked up at him.

"It isn't here, is it?" He shook his head and shut the lights off. The trees here and the hills were enough to hide us from the road.

"Let's check in town again. Maybe we'll find something we missed." I shrugged. He let me feel his skepticism before putting my up on his shoulder. We can't find a trace of energon anywhere in the town. So it's unlikely we will, but it's here somewhere. What was in the van, and probably more too. Somewhere...

"We'll find it. I'd rather inform Prime first, but..." he trailed off.

"Right. But they're all still MIA." I finished his sentence. Leaving to find them is no longer in the question. We need to find that energon.

"Wherever they took it, It must be underground. Our scanners can only penetrate the Earth so far. They know exactly how far that is, so no doubt they've brought it down there. Now we only need to find where." Bumblebee thought out loud. "A somewhat large building, because they'll know they'd have visitors eventually, but nothing that would be noticed by locals. So a pre-existing building, if anything, older. Knowing the government, I'd expect it to have some symbolic or irony."

"There was that big building by the pool." I tried.

"An active city hall. There were legal programs running in the local system and a security system Skids could hack." Bumblebee brushed that theory off.

"Okay, what about that garage at the top of the hill?" I recalled another building. We looked around back, and it looked like it was big enough, but there was no trace of energon.

"We'll check it out. But I don't think so." we were nearer to the road, so he set me down to transform. I glanced around before getting in. Just after he finished, he'd picked up on something that worried him.

"What was it?" I demanded as soon as the door was shut.

"I'm not sure, but it's out of range now." he shook it off mentally, but I could sense him file it away for late. By now, I'm pretty much used to feeling his spark on the other side of this link, but I doubt I'll ever get uses to how his processors work. He literally filed away the idea, making my own methods of 'filing away' feel like hiding a something big behind my back.

"Why do you think they thought it would be best if we didn't find out?" I wondered.

"Maybe whatever's going on they think will make our situation here worse." I can't imagine what that could be. What could possibly be worse than the Autobots directly breaking a treaty agreement and jeopardizing hostilities between humans and Autobots? They could never fight us squishies, at least, I doubt it. Save for the duo mentioned earlier (Lennox and 'Hide).

"It's nearly ten thirty, Bee." I found myself staring at the clock on his dash. We were just re-entering town on the third night.

"They're fine." he brushed it off stubbornly. Only, instead of pushing away only his own worry, he intentionally tried to push mine out too. I didn't say anything.

"Focus on this task now." he insisted as we pulled up to the garage parking. He cut the engine in front of the dingy building. It looked old, but not run down. Just, used. "I'm going to scan the perimeter again, I want you to take a visual check of the back. Legally, you are still our ambassador, so if you get caught, plead diplomatic immunity. Do you remember the names?"

"Uhg. Yes. President Karl Andrews. Secretary of Defense Vinace Palute. Greg Kou-"

"Alright." he cut me off, knowing full and well I knew all the names. We had to be prepared for everything in the slightest chance we do find the right building. They'll get me, I play diplomatic immunity or whatever else works, and they'll try to bring in Bee. We stick together, negotiate freedom to remain on Earth until the Decepticon threat passes, and find out what they're hiding in this small town. I had a bad feeling about it, the memory of those probes on the pyramid giving me the creeps, but I didn't bring it up. He knew as well as I do already.

"Tell me if you find anything." I bid as I shut his driver's side door.

"Same to you. Warn me as soon as you see something out of the ordinary." he agreed outward, since no one was around. I nodded and pivoted to march around back of the garage, where it expanded downward to compensate for the hill. Here, it was big enough for whatever they're hiding.

On the other side of the link, he monitored me closely, but also focused on his scans. I waited for some reaction from him, to see if he had any luck at all. From what I see, there's no signs of anything governmental. There'd be trip wires in the tall grass here, or motion sensors on the steps there. Maybe a couple security cameras staring down from the breaks in the gutter there. Something. Thinking on that, you'd think those sorts of things would be everywhere in town if the government really had set up shop here. We haven't found _anything _yet. So, maybe we aren't in the right place. Maybe those two were leading us off their trail. But then there's the too-fast disappearance of an entire car with no juice. I just can't figure it out.

Someone grabbed my arm and I whirled around in vain. Something went over my face and I felt my muscles go limp from a focal point near my neck. Everything went black.

O.o.0.o.O

I can honestly say I've never woken up from being knocked out while having this link. That part that feels like forever when everything is black and the sound is too warped to understand didn't effect the link whatsoever. Bumblebee's overpowering worry and anger was demanding me back. It was physically painful not to walk directly towards him (through a couple walls), so my first act of consciousness was to ask him to calm down. He didn't, but he muted it.

Then my hearing began to return. It's mostly quiet, and the only reason I knew I could hear was the sound of a pencil on paper near my head. And now I can see a faded white ceiling.

"Uhg." I tried to sit up, but found my forearms bound. Great, kidnap.

"Laydown, Witwicky." a voice demanded. I didn't recognize it, but apparently he recognized me. Kidnappers usually do.

"Where am I?" my voice was scratchy, but feeling better than the 'uhg'.

"A government testing facility. You should feel right at home." the voice said, and my mind kicked I to higher gear.

I blinked a couple times, finding the rest of the room was just as boring. The man nearby was writing on some testing sheet. Where is Bee?

"Where am I?" I repeated, managing to prop myself up as far as I could. "And why the slag did you knock me out?"

"We couldn't have you relaying information to your large friend, or knowing where this place is. Sorry for the Ties." he pushed away from the desk and went to untie me. "You got violent when you were unconscious."

I filed that away for later, my own way, and reassured Bee as I rubbed the red marks on my forearms.

"Alright then, why am I here?" This must be where they took the energon, I need to play nice until I figure it all out.

"It's come to our attention in recent years that our extraterrestrial visitors did not take everything with them when they left. And despite their formal opinion, we have progressed with what they have given us. But, we've hit a few snags in our biggest project. That's why you're here. And unfortunately, we made it so that it was impossible for your large friend to follow. No help is coming for you, and you are still a legal citizen."

What is he getting at?

"What's your name?" I demanded, squinting at him. How old is he? Twenty?

"John Berch, and I'm just here to scan you for bugs. We certainly can't have your friends interfering. Since you're clean, my superior is on her way to pick you up." he smirked and went back to the desk, scratching the paper continuously.

They have no idea that Bee can track me no matter what they do. He hasn't gotten here already only because we're on a mission.

The door in the corner cracked open and a woman came in. She, also unfamiliar, seemed to know me just as well as John.

"If you'll come with me, Mr. Witwicky." she stood tall and spoke professionally, like you'd expect a smooth-talking politician would. She must be somewhat new.

"Will you tell me what the slag is going on?" I objected, standing thankfully. My head spun a bit and Bee caught it, worrying again. I shook it off, insisting he wait.

"You'll receive a debriefing from The Head here. Until then, I'll ask you to mind your manners and respect the chain of command." she gave me am irritable look. Excuse me? What did I warrant that from?

"What's your rank?" I asked politely, stepping toe to toe with her.

"I'm a general, sir." ha, look. She knows it.

"And I'm sure you're familiar with how human-alien relations work different based off from the assigned duties and status of said aliens, and therefore the 'ambassador' of us aliens out ranks up to major." it may have been twenty years, and I may be a but rusty, but this I remembered. I had fun with this.

"Yes, sir." she was gritting her teeth.

"Good, now 'take me to your leader'." I smirked, starting to remember why I ever took this job. The looks on all their faces when they realize how they treated, thought of treating, or just thought of the Autobots could be twisted around and backfired. Oh, it's wonderful, because they realize they've been beat.

However, as we entered the hall, I was pushed down a couple pegs. Maybe it's us that's been beaten.

As far as I could see, the walls were lined with sleek metal, with rotating probes that fizzed every several yards. The ceiling was just high enough up for Optimus to enter, but cat walks and bridges made it impossible for him to come in before it's all taken out. And with the great size of the room, it was nearly empty. Nearly. At least, on the first level. I can't see what's up a bit higher.

As much about Cybertronian tech as Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Ratchet taught me, I knew that this room didn't exist in their radar. It'd be a black fuzz, blocked y those probe things. The government has completely revamped what 'top security' means.

I couldn't see any doors down here, for there were metal grated stairs littering the walls to get higher up. Latters for emergencies hung from ledges' and everything was rather still. I doubt they were all on lunch break, because all the equipment looked like it had never been used. Brand new.

"This way." She lead me away from my examination of the room, and as we passed it, I kept my eyes carefully away from the center piece, so I wouldn't alert Bee with any freaking out.

This side was more quaint. A couple circular picnic tables were lit in the corner, with a make-shift kitchen built into the wall. The local mess hall. And there were four people sitting at one table, leaving enough space for four more on the other side. I sat in the center of the empty space, not really wanting to get too near any of them.

To my left sat a man in a suit, lean cut and probably from the next generation of headaches. Beside him was a guy in a uniform, a gun sat on the table in front of him and he was messing with some switch on the back of the barrel. The last two, sitting on my right, were Glen and Maggie. They shook their heads at me sadly, but kept their faces blank. We haven't met in two decades.

"So you're the infamous Samuel Witwicky." Mr. Suit grinned at me excessively, and I resisted the urge to shiver. That look reminded me of something... but what?

"Who are you?" I crossed my arms, nearly feeling the heat of the large object bolted to the ground behind me.

"Devon Clines, the man-in-charge here. You probably noticed our little home here is kind of empty, but don't worry. Pretty soon here, you'll help us fill all the beds. I'd like you to meet Martin Steinback, our, ah, _security advisor. _From what I hear, you already know Glen and Maggie here. So no introduction needed there." Clines had am all too cheery voice. Whatever game we're playing, he thinks he won.

"Yeah. So why am I here, Devon?" I asked with am even voice.

He hummed a moment before gesturing behind me. "Do you like our collection? Considering the substance is only made in one place, light-years away, I thought it was a pretty good supply. We've scraped up about fifty-gallons. You're impressed, I can see it on your face." I was looking back at the six-foot tall, cylinder tank filled with a blue liquid.

"Why do you want it? Nothing you have needs it." I mused, looking back at him.

"Oh, you haven't been here in so long, you don't know what we have. We actually have quite a bit. But let me guess, you'd be happy to take it off our hands." he locked his fingers together, the other four people in the room keeping their mouths shut. The lady who lead me in here was leaning against the fridge door.

"It'd be more use to us." I agreed cautiously.

"Oh, but we can't do that. I'm so sorry." he said insincerely. "You have a miss conception of the word 'us' by the way. You are, legally, still a citizen of the United States. So, by law, we have more claim to you than they do."

I don't like this man. And he's wrong. But I don't think I'll give him that much info yet.

"Yes, we have quite a bit more than we used to. Don't we kids?" he looked at the other three, who nodded.

"Sure do." Martin gave am excited grin, clicking the switch loudly. I kept my face straight.

"Except, one thing we don't have. And we don't have the means to acquire. That is, until you came back. You see, I myself have gone over your papers and found every loop hole. So, your being ambassador is an unpaid, volunteer job. Since it's alien relations, we can't pull you out. But, it doesn't align your allegiance to them. We still own you." No, you don't. "So what you have, that we don't, we can get from you."

What do I have that they don't? Other than the cloths on my back?

"So, welcome to your new home, Witwicky. You're the one human that has extensive knowledge on Element K, so now you work with us. That machine out in Egypt gave us a power source. One drop of that stuff could power New York City for six years. And _you _know how to do that."

* * *

What do you think is going to happen? Will Sam be forced to help them if Bee can't get to them, even with the built-in tracking in the link? And, what's going on with the Autobots?

Most importantly, will I get the next chapter out this fast again? Who knows! Mericals happen all the time.

R&R- don't own a thing.


	24. Chapter 24

I said mericals happen, never said it will happen. But, hey, it's still somewhat quickly, right? I've got big plans here, and I'm trying not to reveal it all at once. So, if anything in this chapter confuses you, it's probably one of the things that will be better explained later on.

For everyone in school, hurrah for summer break! For all of those who aren't, I hope you're ready for a bunch of kids and teens out of school. I say this now, because somehow I doubt I'll get another chapter out within the next twelve days.

Hope you like it.

* * *

The great big room was even more empty than it was before. Now, it's just me sitting here, staring at a tank full of 'Element K', properly known as energon.

They were right, I'm the only human who knows how to handle it and the reactor they extracted from the Solar Harvester's core. A refined, more stable version was used to power the Ark. Even though I've never actually been aboard, I could build one if I had all the parts. And if I remembered how.

But, they're wrong in thinking they have the right to make me do this. Technically, Bumblebee owns me, not the government. And another thing, it's really hard not to throw it back in their faces when they threaten to withhold meals until I make progress. Everything I would need to make them a power source (and energon-powered weapons, but they pointedly didn't mention that) was in here. If I were actually going to do this.

But then, I'm faced with a dilemma. I could easily decide not to work, because I don't need to eating anyways, but then they'd know I don't. Which is more important? keeping this technology from their grasps, or protecting our link?

I wanted to say the former, but, I just know Bee, or someone, will intervene before they get carried away. And, the link feels like something to avoid telling the enemy, my apologies, the government about at all costs.

So what do I do? I sit here with my leg folded up and my chin on my knee, staring at the vat of energon. Bee and I kept up a constant connection, and from what I can infer, he knows the building, he just can't get in. The government isn't even paying him much attention at all. As long as he doesn't come in, they don't care. I hope. It's either that or they plan to enforce the treaty when they et what they want from me.

"Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink." I sighed and looked to examine the rest of the room. How'd I get down here? The only door was the one that lead to the hall we came in through, which had many other normal doors. Just more rooms like the one I woke in. The housing area. But there's no exit, unless it's a tunnel upwards that refills as soon as you pass. Dig a new one every time? Highly unlikely.

And, it didn't escape me that I could easily make a bomb to blow myself out. But then, that would show them how to make a bomb. Needless to say, there's a camera watching my every move.

Letting out a breath, I looked directly at it.

"I'm not doing this."

There was a click, and a clear voice came out. "You have no choice." click.

"Yeah? Well, Energon burns human flesh. I need a pair of metal-grade gloves."

One, two, three... The door opened and that first lady I seen held out a pair of large gloves. I took them, glaring behind her. No escape there either. She shut the door.

Click. "Now work." Click.

I was vaguely reminded of some movie way back when, and I tried to remember how that guy escaped the terrorists. These aren't terrorists, though, they're the government. And, they're not stupid enough to not pay attention to my every move.

I sighed and walked back over to the energon vat. Optimus could use this, for the Autobots.

Or, you know, the government could experiment with it, wasting over half if not blowing the entire base up. This is probably the very last drop of energon for several lightyears, so they don't want to waste a drop. And thus the 'easily minipulated human' with knowledge enough not to waste a single drop has been summoned.

"It'd also help if I had blow torch and bleach." I said loudly.

Click. "Get to work, Alien boy." click.

I sighed exageratly and walked over to the suplies. Such a large room, and they hide behind the walls. Of course. So I grabbed a bunch of random pieces and sat down at the table. Fiddling with them made it look like I was doing something, while I tried to figure out what to do.

Escaping is out; I can't do it without giving them more knowledge than they already have. I can't get out of here with the Energon, it's bolted to the ground and there's too much to just fill one of those tubes with and carry it out. Bee couldn't possibly hope to get all the way down here, grab me and the Energon, and get back out. Maybe if there were more of them, but the others are MIA. I couldn't try to contact them, not without alerting the government. It's unlikely they'd respond anyways.

It's honestly out of my hands. Now is one of the times that proves to us all exactly why Optimus is our leader. He'd be able to find a fourth option that would fix everything. All I see I can do, is get more information.

Sitting on the table in front of me was a sort of toy. I turned it over in my hands before walking over to the Energon vat, tapping out a bit into the toy, closing both up, and pocketing it.

"Now, fine. What exactly am I making for you?" I demanded.

Click. "Recreate the power source in that Solar Harvester thing." Click.

"I have an idea, come out and talk to me. You know, whatever." I groaned, far too used to being alone anyways. I looked around, not sure if I could actually do that if I wanted to.

"What am I making it for? You know, the out-put would look different for what it's all being made for." I was soring through carious tubular metal contaniers.

Pause, then, click. "Make it to out put into a missle launcher." Click. Weapons. Du. They could use this to travel to Saturn and back, many times over.

"A missle launcher, really? Are you launching it to Cybertron? Or are you making a rock as powerful as a nuclear bomb?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "If you're all going to waste this and kill me anyways, I'm not letting you waste it on something that stupid."

Silence, then, click. "Just make it." click.

"You aren't using it for a missle launcher, are you? Then I can't make it like you are. If I do, then you use it for something that needs the energy in larger amounts, quicker, then the energon clots and the thing doesn't run. Too much energy at a time and everything blows up."

More silence, then, the door opened again. I looked up, to see Devon Clines with his arms crossed.

"Come with me."

I hid my triumphant grin as I walked towards the single door. Twenty years hasn't seemed to have rusted me too much. Or maybe they forgot I know how to talk?

We turned down a different door than I'd been through before. It was identical to the other, bedrooms, only this one didny have a name glued to it. It wasn't a room, either. It was a long hallway, probably a tunnel taking us to the basement of some other building, as long as we walked. But we did eventually reach the door at the end, having not passed any other outlet, and I assured Bee we were there. Above us, he was following. Maybe we've taken him to another entrence?

"We need you to recreate a power source with Element K, to power this." he opened the door, and from his tone, I expected whatever it was to be obvious. But, as I walked into the large room, it was not. All around, spare parts and wasted experiments littered the floor, with crators in the walls and burn marks everywhere. Nothing, it seemed, was functional at all.

"I don't understand." I turned back to Devon, who had secured the door and was eyeing me like I was an idiot.

"Do you think we're that stupid?" he demanded. I felt my blood freeze; they hadn't forgotten who I was. It's me who's forgotten what they're capeable of. "We can't condone the presnce of these aliens here, and giving you back would only let them think we're soft. Keeping you here, to live like this, that gives them false hope. That'll tell them to stay longer, to try and get you back. Now, once you do this little project for us," he put his arm around my shoulders, walking me around the corner. The room was a giant circle, with the path of the hall taking us directly to the center before opening up. "We couldn't do either of these. And so, we were faced with a problem. But, that's easily solved, you see. Oh, no, Samuel." he laughed, patting me on the back like we were buddies. "We're not going to kill you. We're the government; the good guys. So there's no need to look at me like that."

"I have other reasons." I justified my glare.

"Once we have this power sorce, we still can't operate The Machine the way we want to. As you can see, we have tried, and failed, many times. Every energy source we supplied, it's burned through with disasterous effects." we came to a stop and he held up an arm. I stared at the creation hidden around the corner from our entry point. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Oh, yes. A magnifisant piece of machinery, so powerful, and it's at our finger tips. We know everything about it, we built it after all. We know how it manuvers, how to repair it... everything. Your alien friends would be proud, hu?"

No.

He let out a sigh and stepped away from me, so I could put a face with 'The Machine'.

"But, you know, they're still giving us problems. Two decades they've been gone, and they're still getting in the way of progress. Everything we've made here, it's based on a collection of spare parts and nik-naks we found left behind by either side. And, it is true we know everything about every part of this machine that we built. But, the security recognition we used to shape the sort of 'driver's seat' on it, we honestly could Not follow the delicate protocall that the aliens integrated into it. None of us are alien, obviously, and there's no way we could create a processor system _that _elaborate. So, for a couple of years, we were lost. You know, until we realized that tey integrated you into their security system too, didn't they?"

I leveled him with my eyes, certain I knew where he was going.

"So, we started this thing up, and we tried everything. This kid from Seattle, he looks a lot like you. But we hooked him up, and let's just say National Security was not at risk when he failed." I got a terrible feeling in my stomach. "Then we hunted down someone who shared your blood. A cousin, I think. Maybe you were identified by genetics. Well, your cousin Josh is back home now. We're paying him a heafty summer to keep his mouth shut. He was recognized as a 'Witwicky', but not as a user in the security."

"You want me to run that?" I skipped ahead, getting irritated. Every second longer that I stared at it, I wanted to puke.

"Don't say it like that, Sam!" he insisted. "Think of this more like... you don't have to be carried around like a lap dog anymore to see up high."

"I'm not doing it." I shook my head.

"Then, you can rewrite the system to answer to others." he crossed his arms. "One of the two, Sam. I'd prefer both."

"It can't be rewritten." I shook my head, crossing my own arms. "You've already disconnected the system from it's input, by turning it into a means to control that."

"Then it looks like you're driving." he smirked, and walked back towards the door. "Come on, Sam. You've got work to do."

So here I am again sitting at a picnic table that has probably never had a picnic, staring at the vat of energon with new eyes. They want this stuff to power a weapon to rival all others in creation. For the second time, I was reminded of that movie I seen with Bee. Only, it wasn't the captive creating the 'super suit'.

At least I'd wasted enough time for today, because apparently they were ready to retire for the day. Dinner was called, and I took a spot on one end of the table, the one I'd sat at all day, while Devon and his little friends took the other end.

"Have you made any progress yet?" Maggie asked me, curious. She's on my side, but, she's working for this project?

"Not yet." I answered in short, deciding to avoid eye contact with the traitors. How could those two say they're with us, when they've been working on _that _for years?

"You better soon." Devon mused pleasently between bites. "We had a deal."

No, we had a moot bribe. I work, you feed me. I don't need to eat, so it's completely pointless anyways. Of course, I can't let them know that quite yet.

I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've eaten in eighteen years. Did it taste this terrible back then?

"Has he seen The Machine?" Glen asked, breaking the silence again.

"I seen it." I glared at him.

"What do you think? It's got potential, hu?" he started to smile at me.

"You don't want my opinion." I took another bite. It feels weird in my throat.

"Sure we do, Sam." Devon inssted. No one else but us four spoke at the table, I took note of. But the man I first seen here, and the woman I met second sat here two. Just the six of us... cozy.

"No." I tried to keep my voice half-way pleasent, "I'm prettys sure you don't."

"I think as soon as we get this power source finished..." I tuned out of their conversation and poked to Bumblebee. I'd kept my initial discust away from him, so he wouldn't do anything rash, but now I let him feel it in a more controlled way. So he knows they made something aweful.

His curiosity and reproach answered me, and before I could respond, Maggie waved a hamd in front of my face. Dang, I'd zoned out.

"Sam. Are you alright?" she asked, leaning back again.

"I'm fine. Just, thinking about how to conect the transmut-a-magiger to the reacta-thing..." I didn't even bother to come up with real names, not really caing what they thought at all. I honestly never thought I'd have to fake my way through a dinner-time meal again. After the Autobots left, I found myself doing that a whole lot with my parents. Of course then I didn't realize the slowly widening void in my heart was actually a real thing. I figured it was just depression; a feeling or a mind set. Not something that is measurable, tangible (sort of), and 'intentionally' created.

"What's really on your mind, Sam?" Devon leaned forward with the same hungry look I'd gotten from him when I first got here. I didn't let my panic show. He's onto us, but, there's no way je can figure it out.

"I was thinking about how much I don't want to be you when your whole 'kidnap the boy' plan blows up." I shot back, hoping to shut him up.

He laughed.

"It's not kidnap, Sam." he's saying my name an aweful lot, is he trying to get on my nerves? "You're a legal citizen of these United States, and if we feel that keeping you here is a matter of national security, then we have every right to detain one of our citizens."

"It's kidnap." I crossed my arms stubbornly, thankful for an excuse to stop swallowing the stuff. "If I'm a legal citizen of the United States, then you've taken me, against my will, without permission from my legal guardians." Which would be my parents. But since I'm actually not, and my actual guardian is Bumblebee, it's probably something like 'prizoner of war' or something... We may not be at war, but there are still hostilities.

"You can't pull that card, Sam." he shook his head. Stop saying my name! Call me 'kid', or 'Witwicky', or something. "National Security's a big deal."

"And I suppose we couldn't take this to court?" I challanged.

"Considering you are legally dead, and this place doesn't exist, that'll have to be a no-can-do." he took another bite. I grimaced and looked at my own plate. I do not miss eating.

Silence, again, save for the *klink* of silverware on the plates. Bee, what am I supposed to do now? In the last thirty-six hours, I've seen more action than I can remember. Well, I'm sure my adventures in Mission City and Egypt were full of actionl but right now they feel like another life. I just don't know what to do from here.

Bee, what do I do? I know what they want, and I know what they have, and I know the precautions they've taken against me. But, what do I do from here?

I felt the overwhelming need to find the exit, feeling clausterphobic. Then it was gone, and I nodded to myself. I need to plan escape routes.

I looked around once more, out of habit, though I knew I wouldnt find a neon sign over a part of the wall saying 'EXIT'.

"What's on your mind, Sam?" Devon asked, making me jump.

"Just trying to find the secret exit." I answered honestly. He laughed and dropped his cup down. He truelly isn't effected by the awkwardness here at the table.

"I think it's time our guest was taken to his room." I stood gladly, and waited for the man that I met first to lead me towards the one door in this giant room. Directly across from the door that lead to 'The Machine' was a door labled 'Alien Kind'.

Well, I'm not sure if I should be insulted. That they put it so coldly, and that it's them saying it, but at least they associate me with the Autobots, rather than being a citizen.

"Sweet dreams." I bid sarcastically as he shut me in. I heard it lock. Oh, you don't trust me without supervision? I don't blame you, I'd probably go out there and blow up a tunnel to the surface.

Sitting on the bed, I let out a breath. This is overwhelming, and right now, I really wish Bee were here. But, no. I'm stuck here, he can't get down here quite yet, and last time I knew anything, the rest of the Autobots were still MIA.

Bee made me calm down and focus. I took a deep breath and made an account on the security cameras in here. After a quick assessment on where the best position is to do something without notice, I laid on the ground on the other side of the bed. The ground here was about as comfortable as any given place I've slept at the abandoned base. I shivered.

Bee assured me quickly, reminding I wasn't quite as alone now. Letting out another breath, I took out the toy I'd made earlier. True enough, I haven't had lessons for longer than I had them, but I think I made it right. It's better to have than nothing...

So I set it up under the bed and layed a paper from the desk under it before rolling over and closing my eyes. With every intention to 'talk' with Bee a bit longer, he caught me by surprise and sent me to sleep.

By the time I woke, my transmission receptor had typed out a message.

* * *

So... Did I get it all across right? Did it work, or does it sound way too choppy? I've been trying for weeks to get this one just right, and ready for the next part. Any questions, or think I didn't elaborate on something, well, it's probably going to be better explained next chapter, or the chapter after that.

Sam may not have been real active for two decades, but he hasn't forgotten everything. He can still build a couple things, and he still knows how to talk his way to what he wants. But, even if this happened without him being a bit rusty, this isn't a siduation he'd be at his best in.

R&R


	25. Chapter 25

I apologize once again for taking so long to type this out, but inspiration has been hard to come by at this point in the story. So for this chapter, you may thank school being back in session, and most spesifically, my chemistry teacher. Granted, we're just in review right now, and normally school is the last thing on my mind while I write, but it just so happens that my first hour gave me an idea, which I ran with, and hopefully I've gotten this story back up again.

So, for any chemistry buffs out there, I'm not going to make this too thought-through. I'm not going to give all the details and all that, I'm just going to give a general consept, and as long as you can accept that we humans are barely scratching the surface of what is possible in this universe, then we're alright. For everythone else that isn't in on the periotic table, enjoy the ride.

Hope you like it, I'll be writting on my laptop from now on so there will be even _less_ of an excuse not to at the very least have the chapters written. They maybe shorter, like this one, but at least there will be chapters.

* * *

Footsteps echoed over the ground about two hours after breakfast. I'd already started another toy, not giving up on my 'boycot' since they have absolutely nothing against me. Figuring it was probably just Devon anyways, I kept working until they'd speak. They didn't, however; not at first. First, they dropped something onto the table beside me, which drew my attention out of surprise.

It was Glen.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at the device in my hands. I held it up, reluctant to speak with him.

"Catapult." he didn't seem bothered at all by this, and proceeded to sit down. "What are you doing here?"

"The boss decided you needed an assistant-slash-supervisor." he answered easily. "Hey," he leaned in close so the cameras couldn't hear, "Did your friend get out of here yet?"

I stared at him, doubting I could really trust him. He's worked on 'The Machine' here, helping the government do this, can I tell him or is he asking for Devon?

Well... he and Maggie hadn't told them about seeing us earlier yet. Then again, that might hurt him more than it would hurt me. But he did warn us to get out of town...

I merely shrugged, leaving it at that. For all he knows, I have no way of knowing how Bee is doing. How are you doing, buddy? I asked him, in our own adapted language, over the link, searching for him.

Just as I'd gotten from him earlier this morning, my only reply was a vague consept of assurance from far away. He's left, but, he's got a plan. I was sure of it.

I sighed and went back to work. He started typing, apparently convinced I didn't really need his help. With good reason.

"You're not planning on actually doing what they want, are you?" he asked eventually. I looked up from the tension on my catapult and shook my head. "Do you have an excape plan? Are the Autobots coming to break you out? The boss wasn't bluffing, he really will withold food. I've seen it before."

"Who?" I looked up quickly. Who would they hold here, witholding food for threat? Who have they gotten ahold of and forced information out of?

He shook his head simply. "Doesn't matter. But how do you plan on getting out of here?"

Once again, I wondered how to respond. I don't exactly have a plan, not really. But, I did know that I wasn't helping these people.

So, I just didn't answer. His typing resumed, falling to the back of my mind. I feel like all I'm doing is waiting. Waiting for whatever Bumblebee is up to; waiting for whatever is to happen to finally come to pass. What a familiar consept for me, to be waiting. Sitting here, with nothing really to do, and no one to trust. Well, I was used to there being no one at all.

All those years in the abandoned base, I was waiting. Now I'm waiting again. Before I'd had no idea what I was waiting for, no idea why I was there to wait in the firs place, all I'd known was that I had to wait.

Now, I'm waiting to escape. For when the oppertunity presents itself, or when Bumblebee comes to break me out. Or, worst yet, for the Decepticons to come after this energon, for surely that is why they are here. Now that the Allspark was gone, every drop of energon is just as valuble as the Cube had been. It felt just as terrible as I remember to be waiting here, with nothing to do.

Our link stretched thin, whatever great distance he'd gone from me, for whatever reason, it hurt. So remenant of those twenty years...

"So, Element K..." he started conversation again, "what exactly is it?"

"Energon." I'm not giving answers that would help them, just to not seem rude. Because I don't know if he's on my side or not, I don't want to lean too much either direction.

"We've been working on it for twenty years, and we haven't found much out. It's a pure substance, pure element, but we can't figure much more than that. Not even to know it's atomic number." he mused. "I'm a scientist, Sam. And these are the things that interest me."

"Well..." I hesitated, "I'm not. You want to know more about it lik that, you should have nabbed Wheeljack."

"Well, surely you know the basics of the stuff." he lowered the screen of his laptop a bit. "Is it metal, non-metal, or metaloid?"

"Look, I really don't know." I shrugged. "I'm more into the polotics of the stuff, not chemistry."

"It's got properties of all, so we put it under metaloid." he went on.

"How much did you waist?" I suddenly had to ask. How much has already been lost?

"About a quart. They only released it for experaments two years ago, and not very much. We don't know how it's made yet, so we can't get any more."

"More." I laughed. "More energon? Where do you get more energon; you don't. There isn't any more."

"What do you mean? If we had enough funds, and a better harness on what it's atom looks like-"

"No. You can't make more energon. Alchemist Prime tried that, taking the _scientific _approach to creating this stuff. It left him with the first Cybertronian disease somewhat equivilant to _cancer_. It eventually killed him just before a pivotal battle in the original war." I shook my head. "_More energon._"

"Well, how was it all originally created? Is it just recycled like water here?" He tried to keep me talking. I shook my head.

"No. It's made, it's used up, and more is made. It comes from the Core of Cybertron, and the Allspark itself. Primus's life-blood." this is in the basics of their culture teh government asked to learn, so that they could 'live in harmony'. Of course no one read it, kicking them all off earth is proof enough they don't care. "Cybertron is dead, and the Allspark is destroyed."

"So..." he looked disturbed. "When all the energon that's left runs out, your friends, they're going to die?"

I decided not to answer. They don't need much of it, not by the time they mature completely, which all happened before or during the beginning of the war.

Silence fell over us again, and he started typing once more. My nerves were wearing thin, from both our conversation and the thin link. I hated it; being alone in such a big room. I wanted Bee to get here soon.

My hand hit the catapult wrong as I ajusted the stand so it would hold level, and the piece of plastic flung high-speed into Glen's forehead. He looked at me like I was insane and I shrugged. "Oops."

Without farther warning, the entire room shook. Red lights went off. Over the link, from Bumblebee's alarm, he knew something was happening. How? Not even I knew something was happening yet, and I was the one that was here!

"WITWICKY! WHITMANN!" Devon's voice screamed out. "FALL IN!"

I looked around in alarm. "What just happened?"

"We're under attack." He looked terrified. Typical scientist; terrified of fighting until you get caught in the middle of a war. Look at Starscream. Look at Ratchet and Wheeljack.

I hesitated, glancing towards the energon. Only one group of people would attack this place, let alone know about it. The Autobots wouldn't attack humans, that's why Bee couldn't stop them from kidnapping me, and the only other option left me strangely more terrified than I've ever remembered being. I couldn't move.

"Sam, lets get out of here." Glen pulled me along and I snapped out of it. Is this just my terror? No, Bumblebee's afraid too. But, for me.

"Decepticons."

"Obviously. Now lets _go_." We sped through the doorway and down that long hall from before. Everyone else I've met in this place joined us, carrying bags of important goodies, and one person I've never seen before.

I could hear a commotion going on behind, back in the room with the energon. The room was caving in, and the Decepticons were coming in that way. I've faced them a dozen times before, and I had a better chance of escaping there, where the room was broken into the open air, than following all of these people back to that terrible room with 'The Machine'.

That is, if I ever had a chance of escaping at all. They were all making sure I couldn't get back there, blocking my way and forcing me to keep running forwards.

"Maggie, Glen, Smith," Devon began instructing, and I assumed the new guy was 'Smith'. "Get Witwicky into the van and recon back to the other location. Do _not_ let him be seen."

I'm getting out of here? I glanced over to Glen and Maggie, hitting the pivital point. Either I trust them, or I don't. Something tells me Devon doesn't know we met before, back before NEST was even forged. Otherwise, he wouldn't have trusted them not to let me escape. Do I trust them, or not? Just because he wouldn't doesn't mean I can.

Maggie nodded and I nearly let out a sigh. I truelly believe I can.

The journey this time was a whole lot shorter. Glen, Maggie, and 'Smith' hearded me towards a set of latters onto one platform, set up similarly to the other room. When I reached the top and waited for them to join me, I had to look back to find everyone else. They were getting outfitted in weapons, head to toe. Give me a gun, I'll help you fight. If you know anything about Autobots, you know they would never intentionally harm a human. I'm pretty close to them, so I at least won't kill you.

"Hurry up." Smith grunted at me. He was the hired gun, obviously. He already had two firearms hanging by his waist and some staff-like device attatched to his back. He went up the stairs ahead of me, allowing me to inspect it farther. It was made from Cybertronian design, and appeared to have an EMP output on the end, with a spring system running along the spine. I might be able to trust Glen and Maggie, but I won't him. And he's the one with the militarial training.

I paused at the very top floor, looking back to see everyone we'd left behind running back the way we'd come. It had gotten eerily quiet.

"Sam." Maggie waved for me to keep going. I frowned; but there's no where left to go. This level was just a big doughnut around the walls. Nevertheless, I followed- right through an indentation in the rock. A hologram! Of course! I could tell there weren't any in the other room; I'd physically felt all the walls around where the exit must be. But I didn't get the chance to here.

"Wow." I blinked, utterly underwhelmed. From where I'd just come from, and where I've lived most of my life, this garage looked spectacularly _normal_. Like any small autoshop garage. Rusty tools everywhere, cobwebs in the corners, and three big toolboxes lining the wall over there. Several jacks were piled near the door, but far enough out of the way to let the black van Bee and I first seen Maggie and Glen in to get out easily.

"Get in." Smith ordered, pointing to the back seat. Glen went for the passenger side, then paused under Maggie's death glare and joined me in the back.

The engine started, and the garage door opened.

* * *

Alright, so things are starting to pick up again. A few unanswered questions, and Sam is closer to the outside world than he's been in days. Being held captive there didn't last too long, though his time there certainly served it's purpose. The questions you need to ask yourself now is; what's going to become of the energon? What about 'The Machine'? Where did Bumblebee go? How did the Decepticons know about the base here? Are Glen and Maggie really on Sam's side? And, perhaps most importantly, will the irritating author of this story ever update after a desent time?

We may never know.

Anywho, I wanted to, once again, thank everyone who reads and reviews, everyone who just reads, and on the very, very unlikely off-chance, those who just review. Unless I get another brilliant idea to twist the plot, this stories chapters have just become limited. I won't say how many, but I will say, there is a number.

R&R y'all.


	26. Chapter 26

Update, update! Someone's turning in their grave, she actually updated within the week! Well, it feels weird to update so quickly. I write wherever my mind takes me, and during those long periods of time that I don't update, I wander off into different franchises. I have one particular movie that I have thousands of short and long stories written for, and I honestly enjoy it just as much, if not more by now, than writting for Transformers. I fully intend publishing a oneshot, for those are the only sort I've got finished, when I wrap up at least half of my stories here. But, as it is, I've found it's rather difficult to force myself to write for one universe when my thoughts lie in another. If I'm not careful, Sam will turn into a goblin. That wouldn't be any good at all, now would it?

Fortunatly, I've exhausted myself of magic lands and this other continuity that I'm writting for, at the moment, and this leaves me completely free to write for Transformers. Thus, another update.

I hope you like it, because since I don't own it, your enjoyment is my only profit.

* * *

I wasn't sure if I should be seachless in awe from their subtely, or slapping myself. The garage opened up to be the building I had been snooping around when they took me. I walked right into their laps! Of course, I was looking for them, but still...

"Where are the Decepticons?" I asked, tearing my eyes from the rear window as we pulled out onto the small road.

No one answered, but Glen and Maggie were both turned to look farther southwest, maybe a block behind us. Judging from the fact the town was completely deserted, the civilians had already evacuated. Smith started to pull out and down the road away from where smoke was filling into the air. No Decepticons were in sight either, nor news helicopters or anything else.

This isn't just a mission to attack, is it?

I glanced at the door. We were only starting to drive out, so we were going slow enough not to activate the automatic locking on the doors. Once they locked, I doubt I could get out on my own. I am a captive, aren't I? So I had a split second decision. Go now, or never.

I glanced at Glen, who was still transfixed to the column of smoke. No Decepticons about, but also no backup.

I threw my body weight against the door and rolled out, getting a scrape on my arm, but I didn't hesitate as I kept rolling under the car as it's brakes slammed on. Once on the other side, I took off. I'm on the other side of the car, where Maggie and Glen were. I trusted them to be on my side, so all I had to worry about was Smith. They won't kill me; they need me.

"Get back here!" he exclaimed, door slamming shut. But I was already back to the garage place. I didn't go in, though. I kept running, diving down the steep drop behind it and making a quick pivot left into the bout of trees and bushes. I heard him dive in after me seconds later. No doubt he's faster than me, but, I'm no stranger to running for my life... literally.

Then again, there's no one here to save me at the last minute this time, is there?

"Witwicky! We've got a tracking device on you." I heard him lie. I know they don't. I know this for a fact. "You can run, but you can't hide!" How cliche is that?

"Ah!" I twisted my ancle and gave away my position. I had been losing him, but not now. Alright, so maybe my running got a little rusty in the last couple of decades. No biggie, at least I didn't actually _twist_ my ancle and break something. There was just the initial sting and warmth of stepping wrong.

Just as we broke the trees, back to the trailer renting premesis Bee and I had stayed in, he managed to grab hold of my shirt and yank me down.

"Let go." I glared, kicking out. "What did I ever do to you?" I reached out to Bee for help automatically, then was reminded of the fact he was gone somewhere. Then I was also reminded of the fact he's in his own sort of trouble, and all I did just now was add more stress to his load.

"You're the only one set in the Autobot security system." he started to get over me, incapitating my legs as he reached to grab something out of one of those big pockets. They were probably handcuffs.

"For good reason." I glared and tried to kick again. I've watched dozens of sparring matches back in the day, listened to even more of Ironhide's rants. Why can't I remember how to get out of this? "Would you trust the people who threw you off their planet because they were _bored_?"

"The government doesn't just serve themselves." he scoffed as he bound my wrists. "We serve the people. Is it worth destroying another planet to end a war that's already taken one? Earth doesn't need this war."

"Neither do they." I groaned, going limp. It's over. They're going to tighten security and put the child lock on the door now. "Neither do they. Only they don't get the option of ducking out when the going gets tough."

"That's because it's _their_ responsibility. Mine is to make sure Earth doesn't end up like that. Now get back to the van."

Sorry to ruin your pretty little moment of sucess, Smithy, but the van just landed in a loud crunch of tearing metal and glass right over there.

Smith paled and stood up, forgetting about me as he stared at the trailer, which was now on fire. "Oh... my..."

"Don't tell me this is the first time you've seen an explosion." I struggled against the handcuffs. "How long have you been working for the government under this sector? Explosions are done for _fun_ where I come from."

"Two weeks." I couldn't help it. The van we left Glen and Maggie in is on fire over there, upside down in a rotton trailer, and there's smoke coming from somewhere farther west where I happened to know the largest hoard of unused energon this side of the Milky Way was, but I burst out laughing.

"Sending a rookie to kidnap me." I laughed and got to my feet, standing next to him to stare at the inferno. "You're going to wish you never signed up for this job. We all do eventually. Did they tell you that you had a fifty-fifty chance of not surviving?"

He turned to stare at me with the only emotion other than smugness I've seen on his face; fear.

"For the next however long you live, you're going to tear yourself up inside just wondering if those two are dead, and that if they are, it's your fault. But, fortunatly for you, that might not be for too long. Because you're about to meet the reason the Autobots were on Earth in the first place. Kicking them off is not going to give Earth a pass out of the war. The Decepticons still want us dead."

I could see how I was playing with him right now. He never expected to actually meet aliens in this job. They've been gone for twenty years, they weren't coming back. And even if he did, it would be the Autobots, who everyone knows would come after me, but not be any threat to anyone.

True to my words, a Decepticon, I didn't recognize them, came from out of the trees, the direction the car had been parked. Fear shot through me. All my experiences with their kind either involved pain, or came close. I suppose at one point in time, I wouldn't have feared them. I would have been irritated, and acknowledging of the fact that the safest thing to do is to run, but that was a long time ago. Right now, fear froze me in place.

"Samuel Witwicky." the 'Con laughed. "The last component we require. I'm sure you know how this is done."

Smith, who'd finally torn his eyes away from the fire, was just as rooted to the spot as I was. But, if everything I've been through, they years of dealing with the government and decades of dealing with no one, was for nothing, I can at least say I know how to use a word and fake a smile.

So I grinned. "Let me guess, everything is going to be black?"

He laughed at me again and confirmed my guess.

When I started to wake, I thought everything I'd been through in the last few weeks was a dream. The cold, hard surface below me, it must be some counter in the old NEST base. The stale, warm air would be just right for the inner most rooms, which would more likely than not put me in someone's pesonal room. It's dark, but not overly so. So it's day time, probably morning. There's a pain in my stomach and heart, which I'd gotten used to by now. If it was all a dream, then is it even a link? Or is there actually something else wrong with me?

Only, the smell of stale energon and raw metal confused me. Could I be in Ratchet's med bay? Then it should be pitch black, because there are no windows there or anywhere near there. There's only the arteficial lights hanging from the ceiling, and those would make the world brighter than this, and a differen't color.

Someone shook me. My head hurts. I've got a sting on my arm. Someone shook me again.

"Witwicky." a whisper in my ear. Lennox? He never comes out here. "Wake up." that doesn't sound like him anyways.

I moaned and clutched at my arm as it bumped something and flared like fire.

"Get up." they whispered again. I forced my eyes open. Why can't they leave me alone here?

My immediate thought was that this was nowhere in the old NEST base. I'm not back home. That wasn't a dream. I felt like both laughing and crying; for I couldn't figure out which feeling was strongest. The Autobots have returned, but so have the Decepticons. And the Government never left; they've been working on that Machine and gathering energon while I was hiding.

"Get _up_." the voice, I realized, was unfamiliar. Also, it was frantic and making it a major point to be as quiet as possible. No, not completely unfamiliar. It was Smith. He looked nothing like the overconfident, hired arms he was when he chased me down.

"What?" I reached out to Bumblebee, to find he was even farther away. Did he go fartther, or were we taken somewhere farther away?

"Get up." he urged, throwing a frantic look around the dim room. I pushed myself to a sit and did as I was told. One thing I could know for sure; we were on the Nemesis. This was a space-worthy ship, just judging from how it was built. Assuming the Decepticons are still evil, the Autobots didn't let them onto the Ark. Also assuming the Autobots don't usually take humans and keep them in smelly, dark rooms in cages, I'm also going to say they didn't rescue us while I was knocked out... again.

"What's going to happen?" he asked me.

"Oh, so now all of the sudden I'm worth listening to?" I grumbled, rubbing my head where it hurt, and catching a glance at the scrape on my arm from when I tuck-and-rolled out of the van. "If all goes according to plan, they'll get whatever information they want from me, then kill us both if they hadn't already killed you."

"_Whose plan?_" he gaped.

"Theirs."

"Well, does anyone else have a plan?" he looked around again, keeping his voice quiet. I didn't even bother.

"No."

"I don't like this plan. How do we get out of here?" he demanded. Bossy, aren't we?

"Well, the easiest and, at the moment, only option is to roll over and die." I admitted, shivering. If I forgot to mention earlier, the room was warm.

"What about those friends of yours?" he was desperate.

"You act like you want them to come. It's funny how when you actually realize you're at war, and your own life is in danger, how your perspective can change."

"Stop messing around, Witwicky. I've got a wife and kids back home, I can't die here!"

"Yeah, well I have a family too." I rolled over, pressing my face against one bar of the overturned metal crate they'd turned into a cage to keep us here. "What makes yours any more important than mine?"

"Are you giving up?" he demanded. Two weeks. Ha! He's so new to this world. "I thought Autobots never give up-"

"You're just trying to give a pep talk that's completely irrelevant in this situation. If the Autobots didn't know when to give up, they would have stood and fought on Cybertron, and they would all be dead. And besides, I'm not an Autobot, am I?" I glared at him. "Yoou go ahead and keep hoping, but I know exactly what situation we're in."

"What?" he looked desperate for the knowledge.

"We're on board the Decepticon's space-faring ship, the Nemesis. I don't know if we're on Earth still or not, but I do know that the Autobots aren't anywhere near here. Glen and Maggie are probably dead, so they can't try and warn them. Not to mention they also have a great big vat of Energon now, which gives them a pretty big hand over the Autobots. You're stuck here with me, and that's a bit worse than being stuck here alone. Because every Decepticon on this ship hates me about as much as they hate the Autobots. Humans, they just don't care about. Me, they hate."

"But, I read about you." he insisted. "You defeated their leader, you had them trailing you halfway across the world and brought one back from the dead! You _still _won!"

"I had help." I looked down. "I didn't bring anyone back, their dieties did. I was just the tool. And you forget, I died doing it."

"You're alive now." he pointed out. I could tell from his face that the fact I died wasn't in the usual initiation packet. He just wanted me to pull another merical out of my sub-space pockets. I don't have subspace pockets, I have normal pockets. Which means they can only hold so much.

"I'm sorry." I truelly was. If this had to happen, as much as I hate the government, I never wanted them to get caught in this with me. "I'm sorry."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

I was picking up on two others running south-east as I approached. One of them was familiar enough to be integrated into my memories as well as any of my brothers. But they were too far, and the enemy was too close.

I didn't spare a moment's hesitation in knocking the Decepticon to the ground as he took aim at the black van.

"Run!" I shouted back to the two humans inside, unsure if I could hold both Decepticons off long enough to get them out of here myself.

"They aren't what I want." The Decepticon smirked at me, looking towards the other two humans. "You're too late."

"It's-" I recognize that voice! I spared a glance back to the two humans, now out of the van and in the middle of the street, but not running. The Decepticon knocked me down and blew up the van.

Glen and Maggie. Yes, I remember them. "Get out of here." I waved an arm at them. "Back to the other exit. More of us are there."

They took off as I dodged another blast from the Decepticon. I grabbed hold of a stable part of the flaming van and swung it and my own weight around towards him, knocking him back and sending the van clear over the trees towards the east.

"Leave them alone." I shot several well-aimed projectiles to disable him, but the other one came from out of nowere, stopping me from finishing the job.

"This is not your planet. We have every right to it's resources as you do."

"Leave the boy alone." I flung myself at him and twisted to free my only blade. I favor long range, but that isn't to say I'm not proficiant enough with a blade. Jabbing it towards his primary energon vein, snuffing out his spark. By this point, I wouldn't even flinch.

I let out a breath, shaking my head. Too close. Far too close.

Turning to finish off the one I'd incapitated earlier, my gears froze over. He was gone. On my scanner, I found him in rapid persuit of the two fleeing humans. Only, they weren't fleeing anymore. They stood close to the massive heat signature of the fire made by the van.

I took off running, accessing a commlink to Bumblebee.

_I found the boy. He's with a Decepticon._

_Get him out of there!_

_Don't yell at me, you know I'll do what I can. But he's safe, and from what I've heard, they aren't going to hurt him._

_Stop talking and GET HIM!_

I cut the commlink short and pushed to go faster. Optimus is still held up at the underground base- I'm on my own here.

Both the human signals went quiet- they're unconscious. No! Sam, keep him talking! I pushed myself to go faster, just a few more steps.

Escaping the trees, I locked eyes with the Decepticon who held both unconscious humans.

"Put them down." I warned only once. He only laughed at me and started to disapear into thin air.

The spacebridge. I lunged forward once more, bu only managed to drive and lodge my blade between the armor on his torso, cripling him. Then he was gone.

Everything was silent. Slag. I'm going to hate having to tell Bumblebee I lost his human.

Someone was requesting my attention, but I ignored it, adding more flames to the already blazing trailer beside me.

_Slag_.

* * *

I decided that the best way to get this near-rescue across, while still keeping Sam oblivious to how close he was to being saved, was to switch POV. I intentionally kept who that was a secret, and I am going to say, there will be more shorts from this POV to show both sides of this emergency.

So, Sam is now twice-kidnapped, and we at least know the Autobots are still alive. But, there's something going on with them, isn't there? What could it possibly be? And who's POV is that? I guess you're just going to have to wait.

R&R

P.S. By the way, do you remember that little transmission toy Sam had a couple chapters back and the note it scribbled down while he slept under the bed? I haven't forgotten about it...


End file.
